A Far Away Star and Moon
by Mare Hoshi
Summary: Kyoko Ashiya is back! She left Neji two years ago to move to America but now...things are different! Neji has TenTen and Kyoko has...no one but her father will change that! Also Kyoko begins to understand why her mother killed herself, everything unravels
1. Down the Rabit Hole Again

**It is I, the great and wonderful uh...whatever my author name is now! i am here to give you the info on the story you are about to read! well...Kyoko was Neji's girl but her mom died and than her dad wants to move! and neji in a fit only a Hyuga could throw dumps her! tears i know. well.. now she's back and i must say she is better than ever, you know cuz kyoko's like me! which is awesome! o...back to the story! neji's dating TenTen now, and as in all great tragedies let the drama begin!**

memories

_thoughts_

Kyoko Ashiya hated bad news. She felt as if her whole life was filled with bad news. This news though was horrid. She felt her blood freeze and felt herself grow cold. She had never liked moving to America after having lived in Japan for her whole life but she wasn't complaining anymore. She had a routine down and it wasn't great but it was fine. Her life was fine. She did NOT want to go back to Japan. Her father, that criminal bastard, wanted to move back. His work in America was done. Useless man! Why was he doing this to her? She didn't want to return to that place. She would have to see HIM and she did not want to see HIM at all.

Therefore, she was throwing a fit. A fit that would battle any two-year olds temper tantrum. She was throwing plates in the moving box. Each plate that broke made her feel a little in control. Her father's assistant that was actually only there to take care of her cringed at the sight before him.

"Why do we have to go back to Japan?!" Kyoko yelled.

"We just do," Minami sighed.

"But I like it here," she lied.

"You hate America," Minami countered.

"Why the same town though?" she begged. "And the same school?"

"It's not my decision," Minami said.

Not his decision. Of course, it wasn't his. He knew she would rather stab her eye with a fork rather than go back to Japan. She loved Japan. She really loved the life she had had there. It was how everything had ended when she left that was killing her. She couldn't forget the look on his face.

"Whose decision then?" Kyoko demanded to know.

"You know whose," he sighed. _Yeah, I know it's my stupid idiot of a father,_ Kyoko thought.

"I'm not going back," she cried. "I can't go back!"

"Go pack because you are," he stated.

"I REFUSE," she screamed at the top of her lungs.

"You have no choice," he laughed.

"We'll see," she taunted.

"Try it. I'm ready for anything," he taunted back.

In her room, she found four black and white suitcases and ten moving boxes. She screamed at the top of her lungs and threw all the boxes outside of her window. She was not moving! She could not go back and see him. That boy who broke her heart and his uncle who hated her. She didn't want to see him because she wasn't over him. Her heart, yes her stupid heart, was still in love with him. There was a knock at her door and she just threw a book at the door. It was probably Minami bringing back all the things she had thrown out of the window.

"You'll need these," Minami sighed.

"No I won't," she hissed.

"We're leaving in two days. You start school in two weeks," Minami informed her. Two weeks… that wasn't even close to having enough time to prepare her against the onslaught of feelings that would come. In two weeks, it would also be her birthday. _Did I mention that fate was a cruel, cruel, cruel little bitch?_

Yuki Kurosaki was a good servant. He had always done what Lord Hiashi had asked of him. He had taken care of Neji just as his master had asked him to do. Neji was always calm and kind. His attitude was almost cold, as if he didn't care for anything in this world. Yuki had always thought that was odd.

Except that Yuki had never been around for the last two years when Neji began school. Usually he was on vacation with his wife, visiting his grandmother. This year though his grandmother had come to visit him. So he could work in the mornings for three hours and spend the rest of the time with his family. Lord Hiashi hadn't mind at all. When Yuki awoke in the morning, he had no idea what was waiting for him. He went about his normal routine. He got Neji's breakfast ready and brought it to the young man's room.

When he entered the young man's room clothes were being thrown in every direction. Neji was standing in his boxers muttering to himself. (A/N: I like Neji emotionally flustered.) His cheeks were red and his gorgeous long hair was a mess. Yuki could tell that the young man had run his hands through his hair many times.

"Neji-san, here is your breakfast," Yuki said.

When Neji turned around to look at the servant his eyes were full of anger. It made Yuki shiver to be receiving such a look for the normally cold boy. Neji looked at the tray and dismissed it.

"I don't want any breakfast today," Neji sneered.

"But Lord Hiashi insists," Yuki argued.

"GET OUT AND TAKE THE DAMN TRAY WITH YOU!" Neji yelled.

Yuki's eyes went wide and he scrambled to get out. What was the problem? Something was truly bothering the young boy because Yuki could hear the pain in the boys voice and he could see the excruciating pain the boy was feeling in his eyes. What was it that had the young man acting so odd? His normally blank eyes were twisted and his smooth pale beautiful face

"Kurosaki-san? What is the matter?" Lord Hiashi asked.

Yuki turned around and shivered. It was uncanny to him how all the Hyuga's had the same eyes that he felt could look into your soul and automatically know what you're about and who you are.

"Neji-san doesn't want to eat," Yuki explained. "He has to eat! It's his first day of school."

"School starts today?" Lord Hiashi groaned.

"Yes," Yuki sighed.

Lord Hiashi grabbed a calendar from a table and threw it on the floor. He knew what was wrong with Neji. It had to do with the date. He was always like this when this day rolled around. It was September 10. Usually he was already in school when the day rolled around but the reaction was always the same. Neji would be emotionally unstable. It was HER birthday that caused the poor Hyuga prodigy all this pain.

* * *

Konoha Leaf High was the only training school for ninjas in all of the Leaf Village. It was gorgeous on the outside. A tall mansion that was the outline of a square. In the middle of the square was a courtyard where all the students ate lunch when the weather was nice. The courtyard in front of the school had the brightest green grass Kyoko has ever seen. She felt a sense of déjà vu take her over. She had always loved this school. She had wanted to be a ninja since forever.

She sighed as she remembered that her greeting wouldn't be as sweet as it had been in the past. She had to accept that things had changed and nothing was going to be the same. She just had to be prepared for everything that would be thrown at her.

"Why does school always have to be in session during my birthday?" Kyoko muttered. She sighed, adjusted her messenger bag to the side, and took a step forward. There was no use in fighting it. She had to be here.

"KYO-CHAN! Is that you?" a loud voice screamed. "YOU'RE BACK!!"

A bouncy perky blonde blur ran towards Kyoko and squeezed her tightly. She smirked as she remembered that this was Naruto, he would always be happy to see her. She was glad that he had not changed. He grabbed her and dragged her back towards the group of friends that she had hung out with while she had been in Japan. There was Kiba, Hinata, Chouji, Sasuke, and Gaara. The group of soon-to-be ninjas was hot.

"Hey Naru-kun," she greeted back to the blonde. She nodded to everyone else. Giving Hinata a big hug. She turned around and saw Gaara staring at her. She smirked and said, "hey Gaa-chan."

He scowled and shook his head. He raised his hand to wave at her but she bombarded him with a hug. He hugged her back but shook his head with laughter. They had always been so close while she was in Japan. She had missed having friends.

Sasuke stood and waved good-bye to everyone, even telling Kyoko that it was good to have her back. He also wished her a happy birthday and that they would all have to celebrate it at another time.

"Where's he off to?" Kyoko wondered as Sasuke left.

"He's off to greet his real friends," Gaara muttered.

"We are his real friends!" Naruto whined.

"Yeah? So your dad and his mom still going on strong huh?" Kyoko asked. She sighed and put her head on Gaara's shoulder, he continued doing whatever he was doing.

"They got married last year!" Naruto bragged.

"No shit?" Kyoko asked.

"No shit," Kiba answered laughing at her surprise. Kiba had always enjoyed the fact that Kyoko wasn't aware of what she said or how she said things, she simply said them and that was that.

"So who are his real friends?" Kyoko asked.

"The 'in' crowd. Neji, Lee, Shikamaru, Ino, Shino, Lucy, and TenTen. TenTen's new but you remember the rest of them don't cha Kyo-chan?" Kiba snickered.

Kyoko looked to where Sasuke was greeting all his other friends. She gulped as she saw Neji. He still looked…delicious. As Naruto had once put it, he looked like sex rolled in sin on a stick. His eyes were still as cold as she remembered. And he still made her mouth water. His long brown hair made her shiver at the memories of touching that hair and of where that hair had touched her. She blushed and bent her head down.

"Yeah, I remember them…"

* * *

Kyoko hated being late. It was a thing she had. It was always about being on time or early. This time because mom had forgotten lunch and she had to run out and get a bento box, she was going to be late. To make matters worse, she had just run into someone. A very muscled, good smelling someone. _Shit_, she thought as she saw who it was. 

The boy was Neji Hyuga. He was part of the 'in' crowd at school. She was in a shit load of trouble if he decided to pick on her. She was just getting everything in her life on track. Nothing was perfect. Nothing ever was but she was fine with that. 

"Hey, are you okay?" the sex god asked.

_Wow, even his voice is hot. I wonder what his lips would feel like…wait! What?_

"Sorry did you say something?" Kyoko asked.

"Yeah…I… what's your name?" Neji sighed.

"Oh, right….why would you know who I am?" Kyoko muttered. "I'm Kyoko." She stuck her hand out and introduced herself. For ten years of her life she had been stuck with foster parents and they had all taught her that the only way to be liked or wanted was to be polite. So, she always introduced herself in a polite way.

"Kyoko, huh? So why wouldn't I know you?" he chuckled.

She tilted her head to the side and looked at him. She had never seen him smile. It was, to say the least, breathtaking. She felt her heart stutter and fall a little, for this boy and she knew that was bad. She turned around and began to walk away. He grabbed her hand to stop her and shook it.

"Nice to meet you Kyoko, girl who I'm not suppose to know," he teased.

"Let go please," she requested.

He looked down at their intertwining hands and realized that for the first time in his life he found someone who interested him in an instant. It was that first subtle attraction that everyone had always told him about. He felt it with this girl and he wasn't letting go so easily.

"No," he laughed. He dragged her up some stairs and to the rooftop. They spent the rest of the day on the rooftop talking. The laughed and found that had everything in common. The one subject that both had avoided was family because one was from a broken home and the other had a destiny to fulfill that he didn't want anything to do with

It was the first instance for both of them where they had fallen in love. It was a true first for both Neji and Kyoko. 

* * *

Sasuke was staring at his best friend and he knew that something was wrong with the Hyuga prodigy. He could tell by the way his eyes looked tried, almost, as if he hadn't slept at night. Sasuke shook his head, wondering what the white-eyed boy had to worry about. Then it dawned on his when he remembered exactly whose birthday it was today. _Ah, so he still thinks about her? Wonder what he'll do when he finds out she's back,_ Sasuke chuckled as he pictured Neji fainting at the sight of Kyoko.

"What's with the scowl Hyuga?" Sasuke asked. Neji turned his head around and glared at his friend. He rolled his eyes and continued to wait for the last of their group, Shino.

"I said the same thing," TenTen nodded. Happy to see that someone else saw that something was wrong with the boy she loved so much. She wrapped one arm around one of his arms and sighed.

"Nothing is wrong," Neji scowled.

"Isn't that Miss Kyoko Honda," a voice whispered. Sasuke jumped up into the air and screamed. Shino had taken a fancy to scaring the Uchiha without announcing his presence. Little did Shino know that it had nothing to do with what Sasuke _thought _of Shino but what he _felt _forShino.

"Shit Shino! Warn someone when you're there!" Sasuke complained. Sasuke couldn't see it but the bug-obsessed boy was smiling with his eyes.

"Sorry Uchiha," Shino murmured.

The two were bickering in the background, while the rest of the group tried to get them to get along. Ino who was Shino's girlfriend was holding on to his arm and snuggling up to him. Sasuke only got more irritated by that, so he just stopped talking. The most interesting thing that was happening though was Neji's reaction. He couldn't take his eyes off her. He knew that he should turn away, that as perceptive as she was, she would eventually feel him looking at her.

How long had it been since he had seen her? How long had it been since he smelled her beautiful long blue hair? It had felt like forever to him. She was the one girl who drove him insane. She had everything he had ever wanted in a girl but he hadn't been enough for her. As he remembered the bad, he clenched his fist and shook his head. _What am I doing? Thinking about her the way I am…I have TenTen,_ he thought angrily to himself. Yet he couldn't turn away. He stared at the way Naruto made her laugh and he noticed that she still laughed the same way. She would throw her head back, put one hand on your shoulder, and laugh a sultry seductive laugh that always went to Neji's groin. Her laughter still did that to him. She was making him nuts!

TenTen hadn't missed any of this. She saw the way Neji's face went from elated to angry without ever taking his eyes off this girl. Who was she to him? TenTen didn't like this girl because she was making Neji more emotional than TenTen had ever witnessed in her life. It irked her that this girl could get a rise out of her boyfriend, when Neji always seemed to get bored with her.

Neji could feel TenTen's gaze on him. He knew that she was picking up some kind of vibe from him and his reaction to Kyoko. He knew all of this and he still couldn't tear his eyes away from her. He watched her say good-bye to everyone, lingering while saying good-bye to Naruto and Gaara. Neji knew he should stay away and keep quiet. However, here she was…right in front of him. No one could stop him because he wasn't in control anymore. He couldn't control himself. He tried to turn away. His head wouldn't move and his eyes wouldn't blink at all. So he did something stupid….he did the first thing he thought of…

* * *

"Kyoko!!" a voice screamed out.

She had heard that voice in her dreams and in her nightmares. He had haunted her forever and it seemed that fate wouldn't have it any other way. She froze in her tracks. She had been so close to getting inside the school. She could have made it. However, he had called her out. Her eyes filled with tears. _Why can't he leave me alone?_ Kyoko sighed.

"Kyoko!!" he screamed again.

She finally turned around. What she should have done was tell him off. Kyoko hated attention and she could just feel everyone's eyes on her and Neji because he wanted to be a big mouth and yell. That's what she should have done but instead she locked eyes with him and she fell. She fell for him just like she had in the past and nothing could stop her stupid heart from beating rapidly as she saw him again after two years.

It was his eyes that made her feel like drowning because there was pain in his eyes. There was happiness, sorrow, lust, and anger in his eyes. Those beautiful eyes that never wanted to let her go. He had shown her a different expression from the one he had shown to so many other people. She saw his real smile, she heard his laughter, and she had felt his true anger. She knew him but he…he was different now, she suspected. That broke her heart a little as well.

The courtyard was filled with silence as they all watched the two. They had never seen such emotion from the Hyuga. It seemed that the occasion for emotion for him only happened when she was around. Everyone could see both teens holding his or her breath. Each one was sizing each other up, waiting for the other to take another step or make a move.

Kyoko moved first. She had always made the first move. She always pushed Neji. It irked him that she could do that. She shook her head at him and turned around. She had dismissed him. He had to catch her before she entered the school.

"So…your back huh?" Neji asked as he walked towards her. Kyoko laughed and shook her head once again. She nodded to everyone who was around Neji but stopped once she noticed the new girl. The new girl who was holding Neji's hand and he didn't even seem to notice that she was.

Kyoko looked herself up and down and said, "So it would seem…"

"Good luck in hell," he chuckled and began to walk away. TenTen seemed satisfied with the way Neji had just dismissed this girl. She squeezed his hand tighter.

"Tsuki…" Kyoko whispered. He wouldn't have heard it if he wasn't waiting for her to respond. But he had heard her call him by the pet name she had given him so long ago. He felt his heart weaken and he looked at her. She was still the same. She had the sad look in her eyes and her long blue hair curled at the tips. She was his _Hoshi,_ his star and he would always be her _Tsuki_, her moon. That's what they had told each other.

Time changes people though. They had gone out for a year after they had been friends for a year. The only reason they tried going out was because they had slept together when they both turned fourteen. It was a passionate, awkward, and wonderful moment for the two of them. That was the night that they had given each other their pet names.

She shook herself out of her own memories. She was an idiot for remembering those memories now, when _another_ girl was holding his hand.

"You should already know I was in hell long before this," Kyoko muttered. She walked passed the crowd and into the school. She couldn't believe him! Threatening her and treating her as if she was dirt. God, she hated him. She wanted to wrap her hands around his neck and…_sigh_…kiss him.

She shook her head and headed for the office in order to get her schedule. She saw that Kurenai was now the secretary of the school. They talked about their lives as if they were old ladies gossiping. She had always loved Kurenai for making her feel so comfortable. Kurenai informed her of Asuma's death and Kyoko saw the sadness that haunted the brunette's eyes. The baby was doing wonderfully and Kakashi was helping raise the child as if it were his. Kurenai was trying her best to move on and live her life.

Since Kyoko didn't want to eat in the cafeteria, she made plans to eat lunch with Kurenai. It all seemed to be going okay. Except when it came to Neji it seemed that nothing would go right when it came to that boy. She glanced at the clock and realized that she had missed 45 minutes of homeroom and there was no point in going for only 15 minutes in her opinion there was no point. She would go to the rooftop and grab a smoke. She would apologize to whatever teacher she was stuck with in homeroom with.

She stood by the ledge and lit up a cigarette, a habit she had picked up a month before she had left Japan. It was her coping method. Because a month before she was supposed to leave, he broke up with her and she broke. She broke and picked a cigarette.

"You should stop that," a voice chuckled.

"Ruka…you know me better," Kyoko laughed.

"I'm your sensei!" Iruka scolded.

"Couldn't get me to call you that when you were my foster parent for two years, what makes you think I'm gonna do it now?" Kyoko joked.

They stared at each other in silence and both looked towards the sky. Iruka had always been close to Kyoko ever since she had shown up on his doorstep with a bruised eye and a social worker by her side. She was always a tough kid but once he knew her, he found her soft spots and Naruto his other adopted child loved her from the very start. They became instant friends. A smile always showed up in his lips when he thought of how Naruto and Kyoko use to get into trouble.

She had been wonderful and when her mother finally found her. She was elated, they both were. Everyone had told Kyoko that her mother hadn't left her, it was her father that had taken her from her mother and left her at a church. She had always said that she hated him for it. When her mother had come for her, it was the first time that Iruka had seen the young girl cry. He was her last foster parent. After that when she was 10 she started living with her mother.

Iruka remembered when her mother died. Kyoko hadn't shown up for school for a week, when he found her she was crying clutching her mother's will. It had turned out that her mother had left her in custody of her father. Her father who wanted her to move to America with him. She had been devastated. It had hurt him so much to find her like that.

However, he suspected that what had hurt her most was Neji Hyuga's reaction to her leaving. They had been dating for a year and he had broken things off with her in a fit of anger.

"Have you seen him?" Iruka asked. There was no need to ask what 'him' Iruka was referring to because they both knew it was Neji. _I can't think about him without hurting,_ she thought to herself. _I see him and my heart stops._

"No," she whispered. She had seen him of course but she hated to remember what he had told her. He was back to the cold Neji she hated.

"Maybe you two could work it out!" Iruka shouted. "Talk to–"

"No!" she interrupted. "So how are you and Anko?"

She noticed the blush that crept across his cheeks and smiled. Anko and Iruka had thrown her through a loop when they started dating but they were cute together.

"We're good," Iruka blushed.

"I saw Kurenai," Kyoko sighed. She looked over the edge of the building and sighed at the sky. "She says Kakashi is amazing with the baby."

"Kyoko…" Iruka murmured. She had heard him use that tone way too many times. It was always when he wanted to talk to her about her mother when he softened his voice to a whisper when he wanted to mention her mother almost as if talking louder than that would break Kyoko.

Kyoko groaned and put her cigarette out. She DID NOT want to talk about her mother.

"It's too late for all that Iruka," she growled. The door to rooftop opened up and Neji walked in with TenTen on his arm. _Just what I fucking needed._ The two walked to the edge of the building and faced each other and Kyoko just closed her eyes. Kyoko walked away from Iruka and decided that she needed a break from her break. But Iruka could never let it go could he?

"She wanted you to have the best!" he shouted.

Kyoko felt her heart rip in two and she clutched one hand to the doorknob and the other to her heart. She knew that both TenTen and Neji were listening and watching. Neji saw how sad and broken Kyoko looked and remembered that he had never seen her like that.

"She loved you so much," Iruka reasoned.

"Don't ! Just don't Iruka-sensei. It's too late. Everything's done and over with," she whimpered. She opened the door and ran down the stairs. She hit the bottom staircase, fell to her knees, and began to cry.

Neji watched her run and he went on impulse. Every time he was around Kyoko, he went on impulse. He hated her for it but he followed her anyways because he still cared and he was still worried. TenTen was surprised to see how easily Neji showed emotion over this girl. It made her skin crawl at the thought of the two of them being together. Iruka was shocked to his core to hear Kyoko call him sensei. He knew that she only called him that when she was mad at him.

As Neji walked down the steps, he heard her soft cries. He knew that it was Kyoko because he had heard her crying before.

"Déjà vu," Neji murmured. He saw Kyoko. He knew she was crying by the way her back was shaking and he heard the few sobs that had escaped from her lips. Her back was turned towards him, so she had no idea that he was there. He saw her look up to the ceiling and he knew that there were tears streaking down her face.

"Why did you leave me? Why mom? Of all the people…you left me with him! We were happy. I was happy! God, I was happy! I had a life here. I had friends and I had…then he makes me leave. Damn it! I didn't want to go! Why is this so hard? Why is it so hard to see him?" she screamed.

Silence rang in the stairwell. Neji felt himself remembering the day she told him she was leaving. He had been so angry and awful words had been exchanged that day, mostly from him.

* * *

Neji Hyuga loved Kyoko Ashiya. He had loved her the minute they had first met. He wanted to stay with her forever. Those were the only thoughts that had been running through his head since he took her to the rooftop one day. 

Of course, they had been friends for a year and then Neji couldn't take it anymore and he asked her out. She had said yes and it had been the happiest moment of his life. 

So naturally as she was standing here telling him that she was leaving to America because her father was making her. _Making her move? No one can make her do nothing!_ Neji thought desperately.

He was thinking to himself and he felt the barriers go up. He felt the cold seep into his heart and cut himself off from all of his emotions. He was turning into the cold bastard everyone else knew him to be. He knew that if he let the coldness take him he would only hurt Kyoko but he didn't care. He fell into the dark cold and let himself be taken by it. 

"So that's it? You're leaving?" Neji hissed.

Kyoko shuddered at the coldness she heard in his voice. She knew what he was doing because she had done the same thing so many times before. It was a defense mechanism and she had to remember that, only right now she couldn't. All she could hear and know was that he was hurting her with his coldness. 

"Neji…" Kyoko whispered. She heard the desperation in her voice and at any other time it would have felt disgusting but she didn't care. She wanted to be with Neji. That's all she cared about but she knew he didn't see that. 

"We're done. You are not worth my time any more," Neji said. His voice was as cold as ice. She felt her blood freeze at the tone and knew that once he walked away from her, she would shatter into a million pieces. As she saw him walk away, she felt the cracks begin to form on her heart. She felt her legs tremble and her eyes began to water. _No! No! Don't leave me,_ she thought desperately. 

"Tsuki! If you walk away…if you leave me here there is no chance for us to fix this!" Kyoko pleaded. She waited for him to turn around and face her. The seconds ticked by and she felt her heart stop and any second now she knew she would feel like dying. Because death had to be better than the feeling she had in her body right now, this feeling would surely kill her. 

"There was never a 'this' to begin with," Neji said with his icy tone. It scared Kyoko to hear it. She gasped and fell to the floor, she felt the bruises begin to form on her knees but she ignored them. She watched the love of her life walk away and never look back. Not once did he look back. She was for the first time in a long time, truly alone. No mother. No love. No anything. She felt empty and had no idea what to do or how to put herself back together again.

* * *

Kyoko took a deep breath and wiped her eyes. She turned around and saw Neji standing there. It was like something out of her memories. He still astounded her. She felt like she was drowning in his white eyes.

"Déjà vu huh?" Kyoko laughed. She walked past him and just as she was about to get away to breathe the air that wasn't surrounded by him, he grabbed her. She felt her bones melt. It was too much.

"Can we…?" Neji asked in a whisper. She was shaking her head before he could finish. He wanted to talk and ask questions, something she didn't want to do.

"No we can't," she said. Her tone was cold and final. A tone that he had used on her many times before.

She walked up the stairs and tried to clear her mind. Everything was just too hard. She felt her chest closing up when she finally found her class and sitting next to an empty seat was Gaara. _Thank god._ She ran to sit down next to him. She sighed as she sat down and slumped in her chair.

"Problems?" Gaara asked.

"What else is life about?" Kyoko laughed.

"The boy?" Gaara questioned.

They didn't need to clarify which boy. Gaara had always fallen into and easy pattern with Kyoko because they had a lot in common. Both their fathers were in charge of large crime organizations and they had bonded over that. They would go to each other's houses and lay down on each others bed just listening to music or talking. They had shared all their issues together. He knew about Neji and she knew that Gaara loved Naruto.

"Yeah, the boy," she sighed.

"You should forget about him," Gaara reasoned.

"Aw, gee thanks cause you know in all the freaking ideas in the world, I hadn't thought of that one," she said sarcastically.

"Sweet as ever," Gaara laughed.

"Did you think I would change?" Kyoko asked.

"Never," Gaara laughed.

"Have you told him?" Kyoko asked. She smiled at the blush that she saw appear on the redhead's cheeks. _Still in love with Naruto, huh?_

"Shut up," Gaara muttered.

"Now why would I do that?" Kyoko laughed.

"You know what?" Gaara threatened but he never finished his threat because his words fell silent as he looked towards the door. His eyes went wide and he looked both angry and sorry.

"What are you…?" Kyoko asked but she saw. She saw Neji walk in with TenTen on his arm. She felt her heart splinter into a million different pieces. It was and odd feeling to her. She knew she loved him but after two years the pain was still all too familiar to her. TenTen was laughing at something that Lee said and Neji was just looking around the room.

"Could this day be any worse?" Kyoko mumbled.

At the moment she said that their teacher, Kakashi walked in. he looked like he was smiling but it was hard to tell since he was always wearing a mask that covered his mouth but his eyes always gave it away. And right now his eyes looked like the smile on a smiley face. _Scary._

"New student! New student! We have a new student…" Kakashi sang. Kyoko rolled her eyes. She was no getting up to introduce herself to all these people who already knew her.

"Can it Kakashi. I'm not new, I'm returning," Kyoko reasoned.

"Tradition!" Kakashi yelled.

Kyoko knew she wasn't getting out of this too easily so she walked to the front of the class and stood next to Kakashi. Everyone else called him Kakashi-sensei; it was only Kyoko who dropped the formalities with all the teachers because at some point while she had been in foster care, many of them had been her foster parents. She wasn't calling anyone sensei when she knew the color of their underwear.

"Tell us something about yourself," Kakashi demanded. Kyoko smirked and knew the perfect way to get back at Kakashi.

"Well this one time I caught Kakashi and–" Kyoko laughed as Kakashi covered her mouth with his hand. He pulled her to his chest and muttered something about why he put up with teenagers for a living. She smiled up at him and he let her go. She was about to walk away when he grabbed her arm.

"Then sing," Kakashi reasoned.

"S-sing?" Kyoko stuttered.

"Yes, sing," Kakashi laughed.

The whole room was quiet. Everyone remembered what Kyoko's voice sounded like. It was as if an angel had touched her voice. Neji had loved her voice when she sang. Her singing had been what he had noticed about her first. He knew that if he heard her voice, he would fall. _Not that I haven't already fallen for her,_ he thought angrily to himself.

Kyoko hadn't sung anything since leaving Japan. She looked up and caught sight of something that made her stomach go into knots. There was TenTen holding Neji's hand. She knew in that instant what song would be perfect to torture the Hyuga with. She would sing "I will always love you" and she would make him squirm, after all it was their song.

"I'll sing," Kyoko said. Kakashi clapped his hands and everyone held their breath.

**If I **

**Should stay  
I would only be in your way  
So I'll go  
But I know  
I'll think of you every step of  
the way  
**

Neji had heard the voice so many times. He would finally get to see the face and he couldn't have been happier. So when he turned the corner to catch the end of the singer's song, he saw her. _Kyoko Ashiya._

**  
And I...  
Will always  
Love you, oohh  
Will always  
Love you  
You  
My darling you  
Mmm-mm  
**

Kyoko was laying on Neji's lap, when suddenly it began to rain. They both shot up and ran under a tree. They were laughing until Neji pushed her against the tree and kissed her. 

**Bittersweet  
Memories  
That is all I'm taking with me  
So good-bye  
Please don't cry  
We both know I'm not what you  
You need  
**

Neji watched Kyoko as she slept. They had just made love and she was sleeping very peacefully on his bed. He smiled and kissed her on her forehead. He knew that he would never let her go.

**And I...  
Will always love you  
I...  
Will always love you  
You, ooh**

Kyoko ran up to Neji in the middle of a crowded cafeteria, she grabbed him by his shirt, and kissed him. It was a long minute before she let go.

"Now you're it," she whispered against his lips. 

**I hope  
life treats you kind  
And I hope  
you have all you've dreamed of  
And I wish you joy  
and happiness  
But above all this  
I wish you love**

The knock on the door stopped Kyoko from staring at Neji. She had felt flash after flash of special memories and it made her eyes water. It was a good thing that someone had knocked on the door.

"Kyoko, I need to speak with you," Iruka said.

"Sure thing, Ruka. Ha ha, brings back memories," Kyoko laughed. "Huh, Gaa-chan?"

"Sure does," Gaara laughed. He shook his head and knew that she had said his name on purpose. Neji had never liked the close relationship Kyoko and him had had but Gaara knew that it was just jealousy. Kyoko was pushing his buttons.

"Not always good ones either," Kyoko joked.

She walked out of the classroom and didn't like the fact that Iruka looked nervous. If Iruka was nervous that meant that whatever he was about to talk about was something she didn't want to talk about. Neji was out of the door with her and he grabbed her arm. She felt the heat of his touch spread throughout her body. She tried to stay calm by rolling her eyes.

"Talk Iruka," Kyoko demanded.

"What about him?" Iruka asked while looking at Neji. Kyoko didn't even look at Neji. She knew his eyes were trained on hers and that he wasn't going to budge. She had pushed him and she didn't care.

"Forget him and talk," Kyoko answered.

"It's about your mother's life insurance…the company wants to give you the money…" Iruka said nervously

Kyoko's mom had "killed" herself. She had gotten a friend of hers to induce her with enough drugs to kill her and enough so that there would be no chance of reversal. The company had not wanted to pay and Kyoko didn't care. Her mom had died. Her mom had died with the help of a friend. A friend who no one knew.

"No," she whispered.

"She wanted you to be well off. She wanted you to have that money so you could–" Iruka said.

"No. I don't want that dirty money. I already have to deal with my father's dirty money. Enough is enough," Kyoko hissed.

"Please," Iruka begged but Kyoko just shook her head.

_First day of school is always an emotional tirade, _Neji and Kyoko both thought.

Kyoko watched Iruka walk away and she shook Neji off. She walked into the classroom and Neji tried to grab her again. She pushed him away hard enough for him to land on his ass. Everyone in the class is staring at them now. Everyone remembers their relationship.

"Hoshi…" Neji whispered.

"Don't you dare call me that! Who do you think you are? You walked away remember? Because I sure as hell do remember that day. So let me tell you something Hyuga, I don't give a shit. You stopped caring a long fucking time ago! You broke me remember? So I got all the little pieces you broke and I put them back together again! You don't get to come back and break me again," she yelled.

The classroom was quiet and all you heard were footsteps approaching the front of the class. Gaara handed Kyoko her bag and they both walked out of their class. He knew that she wouldn't be able to handle more time alone with the Hyuga so they left.

_This is going to be so hard, _they all thought.

* * *


	2. There is No Cure For Insanity

Greetings to you my fair readers

**Greetings to you my fair readers! It is I, Kyoko! I know I know my awesomeness is well…awesome. Here is chapter two of my Neji story and I gotta say that I had waaaayyy too much fun writing this chapter. I went off a little too much so it's loooonnngggg. But I hope it's not a bother! Read and review please! Tell me if there is something, you would like to see or if there is something you so0o0 don't want to see. **

**Enjoy and cheers! **

Memory

**Dream**

_Thoughts… _

_Kyoko's thoughts are like this and __**Neji's are like this**_

**CHAPTER 2:**

**THERE IS NO CURE FOR INSANITY**

It had been a long week. It had felt to Kyoko as if a month had past but it was only the first week that had finished and she had barely survived. Her body ached with pain and her heart…that was beyond repair. She felt the sleep drug her body. This sleep was different she felt arms tug at her body and she was drowning in pain. She knew where she was headed as she heard voices calling her to the other side.

_Come with us,_ they whispered.

She fell into sleep and tried to fight it. Her body twitched and she moved her shoulders. To Naruto and Gaara it looked as if she was having a nightmare. It wasn't that but they didn't know any better. She moaned in pain and tired to get free but dark shadows pulled her into a world she had forgotten.

"She must be tired," Gaara muttered as he saw Kyoko tossing and turning. It hurt him to see the way she had been treated earlier that week. It was Hyuga. It had always been because of Hyuga.

"It's because of Hyuga," Naruto hissed as he mimicked Gaara's thoughts. Gaara smiled and let his head fall to Naruto's shoulder. They were playing a video game and Gaara was currently kicking the blonde's ass.

"He should die," Gaara sighed.

"Kaji…" Naruto murmured. Gaara gulped as he heard Naruto mumble the nickname he had given him long ago. He hadn't heard it in so long that he felt his heart stop at the use of it. He also felt himself grow hard at the sound of Naruto's sigh. He loved this boy. "What do we do?"

"We can't fix her Metta. She has to fix herself," Gaara reasoned while he snuggled into Naruto. He loved the feeling of the younger boy pressed against him.

"But she won't be able to be around him. She loves him so much," Naruto cried. They were both on the floor sitting together while hugging each other. Naruto was so worried about Kyoko. He had seen her tear up at the sight of Neji and TenTen day after day. He knew that it was killing her. He knew that Neji sat behind her in all their classes just to irritate her because TenTen would sit next to him.

"We have to help her be strong," Gaara whispered.

He pulled Naruto back and the blonde fell on top of him as they now laid on the floor. They were happy together. Naruto couldn't help but want to be with Gaara. There were reasons why he hadn't told the redhead that he had feelings for him but those reasons were a secret. A secret no one would know about.

Suddenly as Gaara lifted his head to try to kiss Naruto, he heard a sharp gasp. Naruto and Gaara looked at each other and than they stood up. What they saw scared them both. Kyoko was arching off the bed gasping for breath. The veins on her face were clear and blue, carefully drawing a map of her bloodstream for the world to see. Her eyes were squeezed shut but her brow was furrowed in pain. Her hands clutched at the bed's sheets and she gasped again. Her whimpering broke their hearts and they heard her whispering about an anchor.

"Gaa-chan what's wrong?" Naruto yelled. Gaara pressed a hand to Kyoko's forehead and realized that she was burning up.

"I don't know but I wish I did," Gaara whispered. "Call Hinata she'll know what to do."

"Okay," Naruto said.

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Hinata Hyuga was very cool headed. She knew that was needed when dealing with her cold family. Her friends had always given her the warmth of happiness. That was why she was in a rush to help Naruto. His voice was so frantic and worried. She knew that he cared deeply for Kyoko and she felt a small stab of jealously at the thought of Naruto caring for this girl more deeply than he cared for anyone else.

That didn't matter to her now though…all she could hear was the sadness in Naruto's voice and the desperation in Gaara's voice. She knew that something was wrong with Kyoko and that was bad. She knew a few things about medicine from taking care of her sick sister Hinabi but she was no expert, she just hoped that everything she knew was good enough.

With her mind on a sick friend, Hinata didn't realize the extent of how much noise she was making. As Neji and Lee walked by they became curious of the noises they heard. As Neji looked inside he saw his favorite cousin jamming medical supplies in a bag and he saw that she was muttering to herself. Neji began to worry as he noticed her flushed face and watery eyes. He knew that something was up when she jumped a foot in the air as she saw Neji and Lee in her room.

"Are you okay Hinata?" Neji asked. He looked at her and he saw that her eyes were stuck to the floor, and he knew that she was doing something that he wouldn't like.

Hinata didn't want to say anything. She loved Neji to death. They were family and he had helped her in school when she had missed a week because Hinabi had been sick. He was an amazing cousin. He was amazing to family, other people…not so much. He had been treating Kyoko like crap and everyone knew it. no one stopped him because everyone thought he had a right to be angry. After all, it was Kyoko who had left, not Neji. Hinata was one of the few people who knew the truth. Neji had ended it, so he had no right to act like a stupid wounded pigeon. That was Hinata's opinion at least.

"Y-Y-Y-Yes," Hinata stuttered.

"THEN WHAT IS THE RUSH? Gai-SENSEI ALWAYS SAYS TO TAKE YOUR TIME!" Lee said. To anyone else it would have sounded like they were shouting but Hinata and Neji both knew that this was Lee's normal tone. Hinata simply ignored him and began to put more things in her bag. Neji just rolled his eyes and looked at Hinata with concern.

"Hinata what are you worried about? Is it Kiba?" Neji asked.

"N-NO! I-I-I h-have to h-help Naruto," Hinata insisted.

"Naruto?! AH, YES HE IS VERY HELPFUL IN THE WAYS OF YOUTH!" Lee shouted.

Neji clenched his fists and suddenly understood why Hinata was so nervous around him. If Naruto was involved than that probably meant that Kyoko was also involved in some way. That only made Neji angry. He didn't want his favorite cousin associating with Kyoko.

"Just Naruto?" Neji hissed.

"Eep! Y-Y-Y-Y" Hinata tried to lie and failed. She could never lie and Neji knew that. She shook her head and focused on trying to fit all of her medical supplies in a bag.

"Will she be there?" Neji whispered.

Even sweet oblivious Lee could hear the tension in Neji's voice. He sounded angry and vulnerable. Hinata felt her heart break a little as she realized how hurt her cousin was. She wanted to comfort her cousin but Kyoko was in danger. Something had to be done and Hinata was the one to do it.

"Yes," Hinata sighed.

"Then your not going," Neji sneered.

"Yes I am," Hinata insisted.

"No you are not," Neji said.

"Yes!" Hinata screamed.

"No and that's final!" Neji screamed back.

"I'm going," Hinata said.

"No!" Neji yelled.

Hinata had had enough of her idiotic cousin. He was hurting and all dark and brooding but enough was enough. Kyoko could die if they didn't help her because her fever was high and she was struggling to breath. She was not going to listen to a heart broken fool.

"Just because you think she hurt you doesn't mean I am going to let her die!" Hinata ranted.

The room was quiet. Neji felt his blood freeze. _Kyoko is going to die?_ Neji thought sadly.

"What?" Neji whispered.

"DIE?! Gai-SENSEI SAYS THAT IF YOU HAVE ENOUGH STRENGTH DEATH WILL NEVER REACH YOU!" Lee said.

"Lee tune it down," Neji sighed.

"THIS IS MY NORMAL TONE Neji!" Lee insisted.

Hinata was finished getting her things ready when she turned around and finally faced her cousin. His face was as stoic as always.

"She's sick?" Neji whispered.

"Yes," Hinata answered.

"Then let's go," Neji said.

"You can't go," Hinata sighed.

"Why the hell not!" Neji yelled. His jaw was clenched and once again, his fists were clenched.

"Gaara told me you couldn't come," Hinata said.

"Subaku said what?" Neji yelled.

"Neji DID YOU NOT HEAR? Gaara DOES NOT WANT YOU THERE!" Lee said. Neji rolled his eyes and felt the urge to wrap his hands around Lee's neck but decided against it because he knew that Lucy would kill him for hurting her boyfriend. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"I'm not welcomed?" he asked.

"No! All you have been doing is making Kyo-chan's life miserable. And let me tell you that she doesn't need you trying, her life sucks just as it is!" Hinata screeched.

The room froze and Lee's eyes went wide. He couldn't help but be amazed at Hinata's sudden outburst. Neji just focused on breathing. He had to see her. He knew what would happen to her if she was too stressed out.

"Let me just take you."

Hinata nodded and they left the house. Lee walked all the way home wondering whether he should tell TenTen about this but he forgot all about that as he entered his kitchen and there was Lucy cooking dinner for them. He decided that others could solve their own issues; he liked how simple life was around his love, Lucy.

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**My eyes were closed. I felt myself swaying back and forth. My ears tuned into the sound of metal scraping rust and I opened my eyes. The sun was setting and the land around me turned a nice orange color as the world prepared to say goodnight to the sun. I knew this place. The park that my mother used to take me to back when she was alive. I knew where I was. This place was scary when darkness came. I stood up and spun around. I had to get out of here before the darkness began to swallow souls. **

"**MOM!"I scream as a see a familiar figure. She's here. Standing in her favorite spring dress. It's pink with white flowers. Her hair is still longer than mine is and it's a deeper blue than mine, almost black. Her eyes matched her hair and I felt safe just looking at her.**

"**Inochi…" I hear her whisper. **

**I run to her and I wrap my arms around her. This is the best dream that I've had in a while. This one is real because I'm actually on the spiritual plane with her. For the few seconds that we'll be here I know that she is real. **

"**Why did you call me?" my mom asked desperately. Something bad was happening because I could hear the panic dancing in her throat. She was worried.**

"**I didn't call you," I say. Because I haven't called her. I know that I take a great risk by being on the spiritual plane because I could get killed her and never wake up again. Scary thought. I learned that the ability to transfer our souls in and out of the spiritual plane was useful quite often for the woman in my family. **

"**Yes you did," she insisted. "Why am I here Inochi?"**

**I sighed finally giving in to the truth. My life was harder than I thought. There was a constant stream of people asking for my help for the upcoming talent show at school, Neji and TenTen, my horrid father, Neji and TenTen, the enormous amount of homework, and Neji and TenTen. It was too much.**

"**I guess things are harder than I thought," I whisper.**

"**Your body is so stressed out that it sent you to the spiritual plane in order to return your body to it's normal state?" my mother asked.**

"**I guess so," I shrug.**

"**What's wrong Inochi?" she asks me. I can't tell her. She never really like Neji. She thought he was too cold. Which he is. He is a cold-hearted evil little worm of a bastard…who I am totally and irreversibly in love with. **

"**Him," I sigh.**

"**Stay away from him," my mom warns me. Her tone has changed. She sounds angry and protective. Her face is now distorted with dark secrets as she paces back and forth in front of me. **

"**Mom…" I whisper. I try to get closer to her but she stops me by facing me. **

"**Inochi…that boy is bad news." **

_**Don't I know it.**_

"**What do you know?" I ask.**

"**Master your skills and be ready for battle. Something wicked is coming for you," she whispers. Her voice becomes faint as I realize that she's fading away. **

"**MOM!" I scream. I hear my own echo and I feel darkness draw closer. I know what's coming but I can't get out. I know that the only way out of this world is for my anchor in the real world to call me. I feel the panic in my stomach start to rise. Neji is my anchor and he wants nothing to do with me. I fear that the darkness will come and Neji will never know that I still love him. that is my thought as I wait for death. That the boy I love, who I think hates me, won't know I still love him. I am so twisted.**

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Neji was trying to drive slowly. He wasn't one to get a ticket but the more he thought about Kyoko on the spiritual plane the harder he pushed down on the gas pedal. When they finally reached Gaara's home Neji saw Naruto pacing around the front door. He had to see her. If anyone said anything…he would hurt someone.

When he walked to the front door with Hinata, Naruto just nodded and told them to follow him inside. They walked into a bedroom and Neji felt his heart stop. _How long has she been in the spiritual plane?_ He thought desperately.

Her face was flushed with sweat and her cheeks were red. Her mouth was in an 'o' shape as she gasped for breath. Her arms were raised in the air as if she was trying to grab something. He was frightened for her. Hinata went to check her fever and Neji pushed her out of the way. Gaara was yelling at Neji telling him to let Hinata fix Kyoko and Naruto was just freaking out.

"Hinata grab her legs. Naruto grab one arm and Gaara grab the other," Neji commanded. His voice was calm. Neji was always good at _appearing_ to be calm but in his heart, he couldn't breath.

"You know what's wrong with her?" Naruto asked in surprise. His voice was very curious. Hinata, Gaara, and Naruto all did as they were told.

"Yes. She's stuck in the spiritual plane! Damn," Neji said. His voice was no longer steady. It cracked after every other word. He wiped the cobalt blue hair away from her face and leaned down. "How stressed are you Hoshi?"

"How do we wake her Hyuga?" Gaara insisted.

Neji straddled Kyoko's chest and place his hands on each side of her head. "Hoshi…listen to me…" Kyoko stopped thrashing around. "Wake up. I'm waiting for you…" Kyoko started breathing normally and everyone was amazed that only Neji's voice had done such a thing. "Come on Hoshi…"

She looked like she was sleeping. Her fever was gone and her body just laid there. Hinata, Gaara, and Naruto were relieved that she looked normal now.

"Looks like she's just sleeping now," Hinata whispered.

"True," Naruto agreed.

"Shush," Neji sighed.

"Can you fix her?" Gaara demanded.

Neji shook his head and pressed his forehead against Kyoko's. His breathing was ragged. "Come back to me Kyoko…"

Kyoko arched her back and gasped as her eyes opened to lock with Neji's eyes. Both of them were breathing raggedly. Neji slowly moved off Kyoko but he never took his eyes of her. They both sat up and ran their fingers through their hair. Kyoko was shaking and Naruto and Gaara were at her side in an instant. They rubbed her arms and asked if he was all right. Hinata checked her temperature and made sure her breathing was all right with her byakugan. Everything was in check. Kyoko took a deep breath and knew that Neji was still looking at her. She looked at him through the corner of her eye and he was still staring at her intensely.

"Can me and Neji have a moment please?" Kyoko asked. Naruto and Gaara exchanged worried glances but stood to leave anyway. Hinata marched out after them closing the door behind her. Kyoko closed her eyes and put her head on Neji's shoulder.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"I haven't seen you that stressed in a long time," he sighed.

"I know," Kyoko murmured.

"What's got you twisted like a pretzel then?" Neji asked.

Kyoko sighed as she remembered her week. There was Neji and TenTen. Iruka bothering her about insurance money. Neji and TenTen. Her father was bothering her about her priorities. Neji and TenTen. Everyone at her school wanting her to help them for the talent show. Neji and TenTen. The list was endless. It frustrated Kyoko that she couldn't get a hold on her emotions they way she needed too. Neji wasn't always going to be there, so she had to be prepared. Kyoko smiled as she realized that the reason she was so stressed had brought her back to the real world.

"The usual," she laughed.

"You should be careful," Neji warned.

"I will," she muttered.

Neji gently touched her cheek and Kyoko leaned into the softness of his hand. She tilted her face up and he leaned down. Their lips touched and Kyoko gasped. Neji's hands gripped her hair and he pushed her back. They had always fallen into this familiar pattern. Neji adjusted himself to fit perfectly to her body and she fisted her hands in his hair. She moaned into the kiss and he whispered her name. He kissed his way to her pulse and bit down. Kyoko cried out and knew it would leave a mark but she didn't care. He returned his lips to her mouth and they touched their tongues together. The sensual dance of muscle-to-muscle was intoxicating for the two of them.

RING-A-FREAKING-RING-RING!!

The two groaned at the interruption. Neji glanced at the screen and froze. Kyoko knew who it was before he says anything. It's TenTen.

"Kyoko…" Neji whispered.

"You should leave," Kyoko sighed.

"This…" Neji sighed.

"Don't you remember? There was no 'this'," Kyoko muttered.

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Music pulsed from everywhere. The dance floor was bare except for four girls who were trying their best to dance to "Let it Go" by Brit and Alex but they had no real rhythm but no one told them that because they were the popular girls at school. Kyoko was looking at them and shaking her head. They were ruining a perfectly good song with their way too practiced moves. This music was about feeling it and just letting go, literally. She shook her head and thanked God that the DJ changed the song.

"Shout out to my girl! KYO-CHAN! Baby you don't know how good it feels to have you back! This one's for you! Enjoy _mami!_" DJ Smooch yelled.

Kyoko laughed and shook her head. Smooch was an old friend that had skills with the dance floor and had the best ear for music she had ever seen. When her father had told her that he needed a new DJ for a club he was opening she hooked Smooch up. She smiled as the saw the tall dark man walked over to her group and greet everyone.

"Glad your back Kyo-chan," he laughed.

"Good to be back Smooch," she flirted.

"You can show those stiffs what real rhythm is," he challenged.

"Yes! I cannot wait to dance!" Naruto laughed.

"I'm not here to dance," Kyoko murmured.

"I'm gonna put your song on!" Smooch laughed. He walked away pumping his fists in the air. Kyoko shook her head and sighed, some people didn't know when to give up.

"Come on Kyo-chan!" Naruto whined as he wiggled his eyebrows at the dance floor.

"No," she stated.

"You'd show TenTen who can really dance," Naruto teased. He knew he was pushing Kyoko's buttons but he wanted to take TenTen down a peg. She thought she was so high and mighty. Yeah right.

"What does she have to with this?" Kyoko asked.

"She thinks that she and her friends are soooo good at dancing that they've banned other people from dancing. She even pays the body guards from the club to keep people who they don't approve of off the floor," Naruto whined.

Kyoko shook her head and sighed, who did this TenTen chick think she was? She wasn't that hot and she needed to take those buns out. They made her look like a panda or something.

"What is this? Step up 2?" Kyoko laughed.

Naruto pouted but she gently rubbed his shoulders. He knew that she wanted to but she wasn't going to. There was no power in this world that would make her step onto a dance floor again.

Smooch was indeed playing her songs. The one that was on was "Te Quiero" by Flex. She was so tempted. She watched TenTen and company dance. She noticed that their dancing was off the music's tempo. She shook her head and sighed. They were doing it all wrong! Their hips should move side to side not front to back and their arms should be running through their hair, not trying to clap with the music.

"No. No. That's wrong!" she sighed.

"Then show them how it's done," Gaara reasoned.

"No," she hissed.

"Scared?" Gaara asked. Kyoko laughed and shook her head. Gaara was always trying to push her past her fears.

"No," she answered.

"Then why?" Gaara asked.

"People are going to think that the only reason I'm challenging Panda Buns over there is because I still got something for that twit. I am not going to let any one think that I want him back," she sneered.

"We won't," Gaara whispered.

Kyoko shook her head. She knew that he knew her better but all she wanted from school now was to blend in and become invisible. An impossible feat for the only person with blue hair but hey…she could try right?

"Gaara is right! Of course we wouldn't think that!" Hinata yelled.

"We know you got better things to do than worry about that girly man bitch!" Kiba yelled.

The entire group turned to look at Kiba who had the most serious expression anyone had ever seen on his face. Everyone laughed and shook their head. Naruto laughed so hard that he fell into Gaara's lap and blushed. Kyoko shook her head and looked at Kiba.

"Thanks for that Kiba," Kyoko laughs.

A waitress from the club passes by to pick up empty drinks and she leaves one fruity smoothie alcoholic drink pointing to Kyoko, saying that someone at the bar said it was for her. As the waitress turns to leave, Kyoko calls her back.

"Tell him I said no thank you," Kyoko sighed, handing the drink back.

"You sure?" the waitress asks. Kyoko nods and the waitress leaves.

"Looks like you've got an admirer," Kiba jokes.

"Aw! It's cute," Naruto gushes.

The waitress comes back and has yet another drink. She points to it and Kyoko laughs.

"Does it have alcohol?" Kyoko asks.

"Yes," the waitress answers.

"Send it back please," Kyoko sighs.

"Okay," the waitress laughs.

"Aren't you curious?" Gaara asked

"Yeah, don't want you want to know?" Chouji sighed.

Kyoko laughed. Everyone wanted to know. She didn't want to know. She had a feeling that she knew who it was. She had the feeling that something like this had happened before she left. She just shook it off and pushed away all her old memories.

"Why send a drink? Why not come talk to me?" Kyoko reasoned.

Everyone nodded and let the subject drop. Kyoko sighed as yet another one of her favorite songs pumped through the speakers. This time she was greeted by "Perverso" by Tiziano Ferro. Her legs moved up and down in time to the music's beat and her hands tapped the beat on her thighs. In her head, she saw the way she would move and it was perfect but she had to fight the urge.

Kiba looked down and saw Kyoko's legs and hands moving in time with the music. She hadn't lost her touch because she was keeping in perfect time with the music.

"Got ants in your pants?" Kiba laughed as he nudged Kyoko's shoulder. She looks down at her legs and hands and laughs.

"I miss it," she answered.

"You were an amazing dancer," Hinata sighed.

"She had a great partner!" Naruto gushed. Gaara's non-existent eyebrow twitched. _Jealous much?_ Kyoko thought to herself.

"That's right. Have you talked to Naara?" Gaara asked.

"Nope. I've barely seen him," Kyoko sighed. She did miss Shikamaru. They had such chemistry on the dance floor. She missed that. She missed him terribly as well.

"It's called avoidance," Chouji muttered.

"Wuss," Kiba sneered.

The group started talking about why Shikamaru would avoid Kyoko and Kyoko just shook her head. Gaara had told her once that Shika liked her as more than a friend. It was probably true and that would make sense as to why Shika had always bashed his friend when he wasn't around. Kyoko sighed and looked as the waitress appeared with yet another drink. Kyoko rolled her eyes.

"He said that this was the last one," the waitress laughed.

"Where is he?" Kyoko asked.

The waitress pointed to a man that was currently talking to a friend and everyone knew who it was. It was Genma.

"Still hasn't given up on you," Gaara laughed,

"He's hard-headed," Chouji laughed.

"This has to end!" Kyoko groaned.

Everyone chatted about who was better for Kyoko. There was a tie between Shika and Genma but and agreement that No to Neji was good. They also knew that Genma and Shika both hated Neji because Neji had had Kyoko when they had wanted her. Kyoko stare at the flashing nights and suddenly her thoughts drifted back to a very old memory.

_Neji..._

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The rain poured outside as the world began to look like an ocean. Kyoko's house had no lights and her and Neji had lit every candle they could find in their house. Her mother was at the hospital taking care of a friend. She was _alone_ with Neji in her house…while they were sitting in her bedroom. 

The candlelight and company should have relaxed her headache but it did nothing. Her head still throbbed and she felt arms tugging at her body, trying to drag her to a familiar dark place. 

Her mother wasn't here so that couldn't happen, she had to fight going to the spiritual plane until she had a safe anchor. Her mother usually helped her relax and let her be safe but her mother wasn't here, so that just stressed her out even more making the tugging at her body more dominant.

"Hoshi?" Neji whispered. He put down his book as he saw Kyoko rubbing her temples. He was nervous because she had become more pale. 

"Hoshi?" he asked yet gain. Kyoko couldn't answer she felt dark rings cloud her vision and she clung to Neji's shirt. He held her tighter and felt the worry in his heart grow heavier every time he heard a small whimper leave her mouth. 

"Come back to me Kyoko," Neji whispered desperately in her ear. 

A wind burst through the window and it swirls all around the room in an angry way. It blows out all of the lights. Neji feels complete darkness surround him and Kyoko. Neji grabs Kyoko's left hand in his right and kisses her forehead. A soft murmur of voices rings throughout the room.

"Do you love her?" one voiced asks.

"What is this?" Neji asks. His head turned from left to right but he knew that there was no one else the room. 

"ANSWER!" a second voice boomed. 

"Do you love her?" the first voice demanded to know again.

"Yes," Neji answered.

"Do you need her?" the second voice asked.

"More than anything," Neji begged.

"Then so it shall be. Unite," a group of voices chanted.

Neji gasped at the sudden sharp pain that came from his hand. Kyoko's eyes were now open but she couldn't see anything in the darkness that was in her home. A blue light surrounds their linked hands and they both stare at each other as they feel energy leaving their body and new energy entering their bodies. They feel the burn on their hands as the light dims and disappears as the lights from the candles flicker on. Neji and Kyoko both push away from each other. 

Neji looked down at his hand and almost fainted. His perfectly smooth white skin was marred with a small spiral scar that was on his left hand. It was below his thumb, on his palm. He held up his hand at the same time that Kyoko did and their scars match perfectly. 

"What happened?" Neji demanded.

"I don't know!" Kyoko cried.

"What did they do?" Neji hissed.

"I don't know!" Kyoko panicked. "What happened when I was out?"

"I don't know!" Neji yelled.

Kyoko touched her hand and felt Neji right there. As if, his very being was infused with hers. It clicked then and there.

"The spirits…they connected us," Kyoko whispered in awe. She now had an anchor. Neji was the one that the spirits believed was strong enough and the one that loved her enough to keep her leveled. 

"How?" Neji asked.

"They use our chakras to burn the seal on our hands and that chakra stays inside of us," Kyoko explained.

"I have your chakra sealed on me and inside of me?" Neji said in awe.

"Yeah and I have yours," Kyoko laughed. 

She crawled until she was sitting in front of him. He brushes a hand across her cheek and Kyoko leans into the touch. She raises her hand and gently runs her hands through his hair. She pulls him forward and he lands on top of her. He licks her tops lip with his tongue and she lets him in. Their tongues brush against each other and they both moan. Neji kisses his way down her face to her neck and he bites down. He wanted to mark her as his. He knew the mark would turn purple and the world would see it and that made him want to growl with pleasure. They both know they're getting carried away but they can't stop. Neji could feel Kyoko's lust and she can feel his. 

"Neji…" Kyoko whimpers. His hands are under her shirt gently massaging the skin on her ribcage. 

"I love you," he whispered in her ear.

Kyoko shivered at the words and arched up. She knew he wasn't lying. She knew because she could feel him and it was wonderful. She loved him too.

"That's a first," she whispered in his ear. Neji smiled at her sass and he knew that she believed him.

"I'll always love you," Neji whispered.

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Kyoko touched the mark that was on her neck and sighed. He had marked her earlier today as well and it was ironic that it had been in the same spot. She shook her head and tried to get a grip of herself. She was sighing like a lovesick teenager and sure she was a teenager, but damnit, she would not go gah-gah over a stupid, idiotic, handsome, best kisser, passionate…oh stupid Neji! She shook her head and tried to shake her thoughts away from Neji.

"Stupid," she muttered to herself.

"Thinking of him?" Gaara laughed. Kyoko's eyes went wide. Gaara couldn't know that she was thinking of Neji!

"NO!" she yelled a little too loudly.

"I was talking about Genma," Gaara clarified.

"Oh," Kyoko whispered.

Both began to laugh as they made eye contact. They were always able to tell when the other was in need of a nice cheering up moment.

"Want to dance?" Naruto begged.

"Told you no," Kyoko sighed.

"Will he always rule your life?" Naruto murmured.

"No," Kyoko sighed. _Neji…_

Across the room Neji picked up his head and he felt a whisper shiver up his back. _**No…it can't be**__…_Neji thought to himself. He looked around the room but couldn't see Kyoko. TenTen was wrapped around him and he decided that she had been the one to tease his spine. Kyoko hadn't called him. No…that hadn't happened in a while. Neji sighed to himself and put his head in his hands. She had been consuming his thoughts since…forever. Only now…Neji had to admit to himself…he had become more obsessive with her.

The kiss that had happened earlier in the day made his skin heat up. He wanted her. He felt as if she was his air and for the first time in two years he felt like he was breathing right again, now that she was around. It had felt wonderful to have her underneath him once again.

_Neji_…

Neji knew it was her. He felt the heat pooling in his stomach as he heard the whisper of her voice. It was the same tone she had always used after sex. It made him horny as hell.

_**You rang?**_

_What?!_

The dance floor cleared of TenTen's friends and Neji saw her. She had been across from him the entire time and she looked beautiful. Her hair was curled and around her head like a blue halo. Her white dress shirt and red tango skirt made his blood boil. She had been wearing that exact outfit the last time they had made love. Her eyes were wide with shock as she realized that they were in each others heads. Neji tilted his head to the side and smiled at her shocked face.

_**Miss me?**_

_No. Go away._ Kyoko rolled her eyes and started playing with the drink in her hand. Neji laughed in his head and noticed that when he did Kyoko would clench her hands.

_**I missed knowing what was going on in your head.**_

_Don't._

_**Talk to me.**_

_Fuck off Hyuga._

Kyoko forced herself to put her mental blocks up and sighed in relief when Neji looked at her with frustration written all over his face. She couldn't let him back in. Not when memories of their time together kept plaguing her. She shook her head and was about to scream at the top of her lungs as the waitress walked over with yet another drink.

Kyoko picked up the stupid drink and walked over to Genma. He looked at her with happiness and all she wanted to do was strangle the idiot. She didn't want to deal with more idiotic boys. She had enough of it for one lifetime. He was sitting there with this idiotic smug smile on his lips that made her want to throw the fruity concoction in his face but unfortunately she resisted the urge and sat down next to him and placed the drink by him.

"You know I don't drink," Kyoko sighed.

Genma looked at her and laughed. She hadn't noticed but he had. He always noticed anything that was directed towards Kyoko. Neji Hyuga hadn't taken his eyes of the waitress delivering the drinks, or of Kyoko to see her reaction, and he hadn't stopped sending Genma death glares. It made Genma giddy inside to think that the Hyuga found him to be a threat.

"You know that look Hyuga gives you?" Genma laughed.

"Shut up," Kyoko sneered.

"I give you that look and you know what I get?" Genma murmured into Kyoko's ear. That ought to give the Hyuga a reason to be angry.

"Genma…" Kyoko sighed. So he wasn't over her yet?

"You give me nothing. I'd be better for you than him," Genma promised. He stood up and looked at her. She hadn't changed much but her eyes…they were filled with more sadness than any other person should have.

"Now interested in anyone," Kyoko laughed.

"Think about it," Genma sighed. He bent down and kissed her cheek knowing that Neji was now standing and looking at them. He smirked and locked eyes with the Hyuga and kissed Kyoko's cheek one more time and he never lost eye contact with the younger boy. He mouthed mine to the boy and saw Neji's glare grow more menacing.

Genma walked away into the VIP section of the club happy as a clam because he had made Neji so angry. Genma knew that the two ninja's were made for each other but that didn't stop him from wanting Kyoko.

Kyoko shook her head and tried to stop thinking about love. Love sucked. It sucked eggs. Stupid boys…boys and their stupidness.

"Wanna dance?" a voice whispered behind her.

Kyoko was about to scream at the top of her lungs because no one was leaving her alone! She did not want to….

"SHIKA!" she cried happily.

"Dance with Me" by Drew Seeley featuring Belinda was slowly starting to play. They both looked at each other and started to laugh.

"Isn't that our song?" Shikamaru laughed.

"You remember?" Kyoko laughed. She gave the brunette a hug and felt like something was finally going right.

"First song we ever danced to," Shikamaru nodded.

"But from what I heard you're a lazy bum now," Kyoko teased.

"Wanna prove them wrong?" Shika challenged.

"Always," Kyoko answered.

Shikamaru grabbed Kyoko and dragged her to the dance floor as the song. She laughed as he twirled her around and dipped her. She moved her foot forward and he read her moves easily, letting himself fall into her pattern. Naruto squealed and hugged Gaara who smirked at the dancing couple. _They look right together,_ Gaara thought to himself.

Neji on the other hand was breathing poison. Ah, the poison that we call _jealousy._ Shikamaru spun Kyoko away from himself and brought her close quickly and their faces were so close they could have kissed. Neji growled out loud and he wanted to tear Shikamaru limb from limb. He hated him. He hated one of his best friends.

Kyoko was lifted in the air and she laughed as Shikamaru tossed her so carelessly in the air. They had done this so many times before. They had followed each other's moves so easily that she always thought that she and Shikamaru were meant to be. It would have been easy except that she loved Neji; she had met Neji first and had fallen for him first. Life wasn't fair.

She smiled at Shikamaru and winked at him. He let her dance away from him and he shook his head. _What is she up to?_ He thought to himself. Her head moved from side to side and her shoulders rolled with the beat of the music, she was laughing freely. The music slowed down and Shikamaru's eyes went wide…_ she wouldn't!_

"Shika!" she screamed. "Catch!"

she ran and jumped in the air while twisting her body in a circle. Shikamaru ran and caught her. She landed perfectly in his arms. Kyoko couldn't have been feeling better. She knew that Neji was staring at her and she felt happy that he now felt what she had felt for the past week. She glanced over and they locked eyes for one second, than TenTen kissed him. Passionately and disgustingly. Kyoko squeezed Shikamaru's hand and he dragged her off the dance floor. He knew what had happened and he hated his best friend for being the most idiotic person he had ever met. Why anyone would treat Kyoko the way he had was beyond Shikamaru.

"Don't let him get to you," Shikamaru whispered in her ear. She sighed and shook her head. It was so obvious to everyone else what was wrong with her and that made her frustrated.

"As I recall…you're in his tight inner circle," Kyoko murmured.

"I hate the way he's been treating you," Shikamaru said.

"Ever think that maybe I deserved it?" Kyoko asked.

"No one deserves what he's been doing," Shikamaru hissed.

"It's done," Kyoko whispered.

Shikamaru closed his eyes and tried not to scream at the top of his lungs. This beautiful girl, who he cherished with his entire being, was still in love with the asshole of one of his best friends. There truly was no justice in the world.

"You still love him don't you?" Shikamaru asked angrily.

"Shika…" Kyoko sighed.

"NO! God, how pathetic are you? When are gonna wake up and see that there's someone better?" he scolded.

"You mean you?" Kyoko asked.

Shikamaru closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against hers. She knew…she knew. That's all he could think of. She knew and she still loved Neji.

"You know?" he murmured against her face.

"Yes," she whispered back.

Shikamaru walked away and didn't look back. She knew! She knew! Damn it! Why was he so angry? Why couldn't he just let her go? It shouldn't be so hard!

Kyoko closed her eyes as she sat down next to Naruto. She shook her head and felt ready to rip her hair out. What had possessed her to tell Shika any of that? She was truly going insane. There was officially no doubt about that.

"Trouble with Shika?" Naruto asked gently.

"Trouble with my life," Kyoko muttered.

"Kyo-chan…" Naruto sighed.

"Do you want to know what my problem is?" Kyoko asked

"Neji?" Naruto answered.

"Me," Kyoko answered as if Naruto had said nothing. "I'm the problem. I've got two great guys after me and I can't stop thinking of Neji."

"You love Neji. It's alright," Naruto said.

"No more! I'm gonna give dating a chance," Kyoko vowed.

"Gonna give Genma and Shika a chance?" Naruto said hopefully.

"Yes," Kyoko laughed. It was time she decided that life moved on because she couldn't be with Neji. There were too many obstacles in the way.

Naruto hugged her and started talking about the pros and cons of each boy. Naruto though was secretly voting for Shikamaru because there was something about Genma that she couldn't put her finger on that wigged him out.

What neither noticed was Genma standing behind them listening intently on the conversation that was playing out before him. He smiled as he noticed Neji once again giving him the death glare and he just laughed at the white-eyed boy. Neji wouldn't see it coming and neither would Kyoko. He was going to destroy them both.

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Outside of the nightclub a dark limo was waiting for Genma. As he hopped in he was whistling with much joy. He was getting paid to destroy the lives of two people he hated. Neji Hyuga and Kyoko Ashiya. The sad part was who was paying him; it made him laugh with joy. Family always protected their own, even in those sick and twisted ways.

"Did you talk to her?" Lord Hiashi, Neji's uncle, asked him.

"I got her to start dating again," Genma confirmed.

"Good. Will you be able to keep her away from Neji for me?" Lord Hiashi demanded.

"Of course. What else are you paying me for?" Genma laughed.

"Good because Neji deserves better than that slip of a girl," Lord Hiashi muttered.

"She'll never see it coming," Genma laughed. "I'm going to crush her like a bug."

Genma laughed and Lord Hiashi just shook his head. He hated to stoop so low in order to protect his nephew but he made a promise to his brother and it was the only way he knew how to keep it. He promised to care for Neji and he knew that Neji deserved the best. That's why Neji was already engaged to a prodigy ninja like Neji himself. Neji didn't know that of course but that didn't matter. Lord Hiashi always had a way of making Neji see things his way.

Everything would turn out fine. He didn't care what happened to Kyoko as long as she was out of the way. The girl was nothing but trouble. She deserved whatever she got.

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**Hello little readers! Didn't see the Hiashi Genma thing coming did ya? I'm awesome! Lol. Well review! And wait anxiously for the next chapter! If there is anything you would like to see tell me! If there is something you don't want to see…tell me too! I am here to serve! Lol. **


	3. Trust Me I Know What I'm DoingMAYBE

Greetings to you my fair readers

**Greetings to you my fair readers! Here is chapter three of my Neji story and I gotta say that I had waaaayyy too much fun writing this chapter. I went off a little too much so it's loooonnngggg. But I hope it's not a bother! Read and review please! Tell me if there is something, you would like to see or if there is something you so0o0 don't want to see. **

**Enjoy and cheers! **

Memory

**Dream**

_Thoughts… _

_Kyoko's thoughts are like this and __**Neji's are like this**_

**CHAPTER 3:**

**TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING…MAYBE**

Lucy Kurosaki didn't think much of Kyoko Ashiya. She didn't think about the girl often and she didn't really care for her. But there was one thing she was certain about, if someone were to try and fight Kyoko, anyone at all, they would lose because Kyoko knows how to take care of herself.

That's why Lucy was confused as she saw Kyoko walking towards her with a cut on her arm, a bruise on her shoulder, and a cut on her cheek. Lucy knew in her heart that whoever did it caught Kyoko off guard and that was dirty. Lucy hated dirty tricks more than anything in the world. It was dirty tricks that had killed her older brother. So she felt the need to find some sort of justice for Kyoko.

"Yo Ashiya! What happened to you?" Lucy asked as politely as she could.

"That's a good joke Kurosaki," Kyoko sneered. "You made me laugh right here." Kyoko pointed to her heart and walked towards the nearest bathroom.

Lucy shook her head and thought about what Kyoko had just said. Why would she know anything about Kyoko being beat up? She didn't care for the girl but she didn't want her hurt. Lucy liked to think that she was little better than that. Then as if a nightmare was happening before her eyes, TenTen walked by with a smug smile on her lips and a small bruise above her eye.

Lucy narrowed her eyes and felt the anger rising in her throat. She wanted to shred TenTen into pieces! How dare she do something so low and for what? A BOY! No other reason. It was because of Neji.

"That's low TenTen," Lucy hissed.

Her friend turned around and looked shock. She hadn't seen her friend standing there. TenTen lowered her eyes into a nasty glare and stood her ground.

"What are you talking about Lucy?" TenTen muttered.

"HOW COULD YOU!" Lucy yelled.

"She deserved it!" TenTen screeched.

"NO! You are going to pay for it TenTen I swear," Lucy vowed. She pushed her ex-friend aside and left the building. She was huffing and puffing outside the school gates waiting for Lee when she saw Neji. Lucy respected the fact that Kyoko could handle herself. She liked that about the girl because she knew how hard it was to work to get to that level. That's why she knew that Kyoko wouldn't say a thing to Neji. Neji would go on being an oblivious bastard and Kyoko would…well…probably plot revenge against TenTen but she deserved it so that didn't even matter.

"Hyuga!" a voice yelled.

Lucy turned her head and there was Shikamaru yelling at Neji to get his attention. Damn! She needed to lay him out!

"Shika!" another voice yelled. There was Kyoko chasing Shikamaru. Trying to avert his attention but failing. Lucy ran up to Shika and pulled on his arm. He stared at her with such annoyance that it made her cringe. Who knew that even Shikamaru Naara was capable of that?

"I said no Shika!" Kyoko yelled. Shikamaru shook his head and Neji was standing in front of him. Shikamaru pulled his arm free of Lucy's grasp and punched Neji for all he was worth. Lucy gasped and Kyoko groaned at the angry action.

"Tell that bitch of a girl you got that she better leave my girl alone," Shika warned.

Lucy froze…_my girl?_ No. that couldn't be right! What were Shikamaru and Kyoko doing going out? Wasn't there some rule about not going out with your friend's exes? Lucy looked at Neji and she had never seen the boy in more pain. His eyes were shut tight and he looked beyond crush.

"What happened?" Neji asked. It wasn't directed to Shika. Everyone knew that. Neji was asking Kyoko what had happened. Shikamaru was about to open his mouth to answer but Kyoko beat him to it.

"She blocked my chakra with a move I'm assuming you taught her. Then she cut my cheek and started hitting me as hard as she could," Kyoko explained. Both Shikamaru and Neji's fists were clenched tightly as they heard her talking. "You do know that I could kill her so easily right? With just three words."

"Yes. I do," Neji answered.

"Than tell her that she's lucky I don't get paired up with her in gym because if we do…I will break her so easily," Kyoko hissed.

"I will warn her for you," Neji sighed.

"Fine," Kyoko shrugged. She turned to walk away and Shikamaru was just staring at Neji with pure hatred in his eyes.

"Of all the people… you choose someone who does the one thing you hate," Shikamaru muttered.

"It's not like I told her to Naara," Neji hissed.

"Sure," Shikamaru muttered."

"What the hell does that mean?" Neji demanded.

"You think I believe you? Come on Hyuga…ever since she got back you've acted like you hated the girl," Shikamaru reasoned.

"Funny…a week ago I had her in my arms moaning," Neji sneered.

Lucy gasped and Shikamaru threw himself on Neji. Neji just laid there and took the hits. Lucy tried and failed to remove Shikamaru and thought to herself that Neji Hyuga was definitely one HUGE idiot for saying what he just said. She looked left and right but there was no one in sight to help her out.

Suddenly out of nowhere, Neji was lifted by a sparkling blue light and placed a safe distance away from Shikamaru and Lucy quickly went to stand in front of Shikamaru before he got ideas. Neji laughed and tried to step forward but the blue light held him in place.

Lucy looked to her right and there was Kyoko approaching with a frown on her face. She shook her head and sighed at Neji.

"Not fair game Neji," Kyoko sighed.

"It's true though," Neji said.

"I'm not yours anymore," Kyoko shrugged.

"Your not his either!" Neji yelled.

"Yes I am," Kyoko whispered.

"No," Neji whispered.

Kyoko shook her head and looked at Neji. He looked so hurt that she almost gave into his eyes. Almost.

"It's over," Kyoko stated.

"Okay," Neji agreed.

"Finally," Kyoko sighed.

"She's mine Hyuga and I won't be like you. I'm not stupid enough to let her get away," Shikamaru taunted.

"I let her go…doesn't mean I can't get her back," Neji whispered softly. No one heard him. Kyoko was walking out of the school while holding hands with Shikamaru and Neji felt tears prick his eyes. His life was more of a mess than he knew.

"You are going to that Village party thing right?" Lucy sighed.

"Yes," Neji answered. "My uncle has some big announcement."

"I'll see you there," Lucy sighed.

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It was Kyoko's least favorite thing in the world. She hated going to parties that her father was excited for. Neji would be there with his whole family and that killed her more. She didn't know why but she was still going. She was still going to the stupid party!

This was why she was wearing a dark purple dress. It was a sex dress, as Naruto liked to say. It clung to her body in every way and hit right above her knee. It was sleeveless and was a very sexy silk that made her feel great. Her hair was curled and half way up in a bun with two dark purple chopsticks. She knew she looked hot. That was the point. She wanted to make Neji jealous.

She wanted to make him squirm but for some reason she was finding it hard to concentrate. She knew the reason for that was her father. He said he had an announcement to make at the party. His announcements were never any good. Her father was never any good. He was a bastard and there was no way of changing anything because he had power.

"Yo," Gaara greeted.

"Gaara!" Kyoko laughed.

"You look nice," he complimented.

"You don't look that bad either," she flirted.

He was wearing a black suit with a dark red tie that matched his hair. The paleness of his skin next to the dark suit made it seem like he was glowing. He was actually glowing with happiness though and Kyoko knew why. The reason for his happiness was getting dressed in her room's bathroom.

"Gah! Kyoko! I don't know how to tie this…wow," Naruto sighed. He walked out with an orange tie in his hand and the other hand was pressed to his heart. He was staring at Gaara as if the redhead was the only person in the world.

"I know!" Kyoko giggled as she watched her two friends stare at each other. She knew that each one had their reasons for not confessing to the other. It was hard but she tried with all her might to understand.

"Come here Naruto," Gaara murmured. Naruto blushed and walked to Gaara. Gaara grabbed the blonde's hand and took the tie from him. Naruto stood still as Gaara tied his tie and he blushed more and more, until his face matched Gaara's hair.

"You look great Naruto," Gaara murmured as he finished.

"Th-Thanks," Naruto stuttered.

"Hey Gaara," Kyoko said. "Your dad tell you he has some big important announcement?"

"Yeah…yours too?" Gaara sighed.

"Shit!" Kyoko screamed.

"It's never good when the two of them get together huh?" Naruto asked. Both teens shook their heads and sighed.

"Maybe their giving up their lives of crime?" Naruto said hopefully. Both teens snorted and then all three of them were in a fit of giggles by the time Minami came in to tell them that their limo was there to take them away. They all climbed in and were actually pretty excited for the party. The Third Hokage was throwing a party in celebration of the new Uchiha Crime Police Unit and the fact that crime was at an all time low thanks to the head families, Subaku and Ashiya, controlling their people. It wasn't that crime wasn't happening…people were just more subtle about it. The Hokage was also welcoming all new ninja's into the village.

They arrived and the Hotel's lobby was spectacular. It was snow themed and there was white silk everywhere. It looked like a wonderland. They ooed and awed at everything. They found their friends eating at a table and they all sat down. Kyoko and Gaara looked at the front of the room at the table where the Hokage sat and there was Gaara's father and Kyoko's father. They were laughing with each other and it made Kyoko and Gaara's skin crawl.

"They make me sick," Gaara muttered.

"Tell me about it," Kyoko sighed.

The Hokage stood up and the room went silent. He went to the podium and tapped the microphone. He breathed in and made sure everyone could hear him.

"I have gathered you all today to make many announcements! I have my own to make but the Hyuga family has one of their own. As does the Subaku and Ashiya family. This is a celebration so all the announcements are good news. I am here to announce the next Hokage!"

There was a roar of applause coming from all sides of the room. Everyone was excited to know who would rule the village along with the third. It was and exciting announcement to make.

"Dibs on it being me," Naruto laughed.

"The next Hokage will be Minato Uzumaki!"

"WHAT?" Naruto screamed during the applause. Everyone laughed and Naruto ran to hug his dad bragging that now he was definitely a shoe in for Hokage. Sasuke congratulated his stepfather and gave him a hug. They were a happy family, Kyoko sighed. _I want a happy family,_ Kyoko sighed.

"That's good for him," Gaara sighed.

"You don't think you're good enough do you?" Kyoko murmured.

"Nope," Gaara nodded.

"You two are meant to be. Anyone with eyes could see that," Kyoko hissed.

"I know. I know but his family is so…" Gaara trailed off.

"Pure?" Kyoko offered.

"Yeah and my family is so…" Gaara trailed off.

"Dirty?" Kyoko offered again.

"Yeah," Gaara sighed.

"That's life Gaa-chan. We're born into our families and some of us wish we weren't," Kyoko said.

"Don't you wish you were good enough for his family back then," Gaara asked.

"I don't think it would have made a difference," Kyoko muttered.

"That's only because he doesn't know about you Kekki Genki," Gaara hissed. "If they knew…they would snatch you up like-"

"Shut up Gaa-chan," Kyoko said.

"It's true," Gaara muttered.

"Doesn't matter. They want a prodigy child with another prodigy child. No one knows I'm a prodigy child and it's going to stay that way. Understood Subaku?" Kyoko threatened.

"Yeah," Gaara said.

They both knew that Kyoko was one of the most powerful ninja's. Her dad wanted to use her for his dirty business but Kyoko would never give in. she was so angry at her mother for leaving her with him. It made her want to scream and throw a fit but she didn't. Instead, she trained. She trained a lot and had discovered that she had an immense amount of chakra, and that helped her perfect her Kekki Genki. She was going to be a ninja for the village, be a protector not a destroyer like her father.

"And now for the announcements of our very important families!" the Hokage announced. "The first will be the Hyuga clan. They have very happy news for all of us. Will Neji Hyuga please come up here to stand with his clan?"

Everyone turned to watch the Hyuga walk towards the stage with TenTen and they clapped. They awed and sighed. Ah, yes…Neji Hyuga was sweet and perfect. He was also a good actor, Kyoko laughed. She took one look at him and knew that he was miserable with whatever announcement was about to be made. She shook her head and sighed. She knew that he would go with whatever his uncle wanted. He wanted to be accepted in his family.

"I, Lord Hiashi, am pleased to announce this today. Neji is a great addition our clan. Since he was little we knew, he was special. As he grew older we discovered that he was a prodigy child," Lord Hiashi gushed.

Kyoko closed her eyes and knew what was going to happen. She just _knew._ The words that would come out of Hiashi's mouth would crush her heart and make it impossible for her to breath. She gripped Gaara's arm and laid her forehead on his shoulder. He knew as well what was about to happen. Kyoko thought about a poem her mother wrote to her inside of her head in order to not hear the words that were about to come.

"We have also come to discover another prodigy child…"

**Life will never be easy**  
**My little darling it's true  
I am sad to say  
These few things to you**

"TenTen has been an amazing ninja. She has great skill with knives and all things that we look for in future family members."

**Life will kick you down  
People will break your heart  
Promises will always fade  
And life will take it all away  
**

"We are glad to announce the engagement between my nephew Neji and his girlfriend, now fiancé, TenTen!"

**You'll want to cry  
I know you will cry  
But never let them see  
One day they'll be sorry**

The room was in a happy uproar. Congratulations were heard through out the halls and Kyoko felt two pairs of hands soothing her back. She knew that it was Gaara and Naruto. They were trying to make her feel better.

"I can't breathe," Kyoko cried.

"I know," Naruto whispered.

"Why? Why do I have to love him?" Kyoko cried.

"Because life is never fair," Gaara hissed. His eyes were on the _happy _couple and he was imagining very horrid things to them.

"Stop picturing setting them on fire," Naruto scolded. Kyoko laughed and looked up at Gaara's guilty face and Naruto's concerned face.

"It was bound to happen right?" Kyoko sighed.

"True," Gaara agreed.

"It's for the best," Shikamaru sighed from behind them.

Kyoko looked up and blushed in shame. Her boyfriend was standing there watching her cry for another boy. It had to hurt him. she had to talk to him. she was going to ask for his help with something anyway.

"Shika? Can we talk?" Kyoko asked.

"Sure," Shikamaru said.

They walked towards the entrance of the room where no one was standing and Shikamaru grabbed her hand, ran his thumbs over her knuckles, and sighed.

"You love him. I get that. So I'm not mad," Shikamaru muttered. "I'm here to help you get over him."

"Shika…" Kyoko sighed. Shikamaru had to be that guy. The sweet one that everyone should love but the girl he loved never loved him back.

"Is that all you were worried about?" Shikamaru smiled.

"No," Kyoko said. She couldn't help but return his smile.

"Spill then," Shikamaru teased.

"I need you help," Kyoko murmured.

"With what? Because from the look on your face…it's something you want to know but don't want to know at the same time," Shikamaru muttered.

"You're right," Kyoko agreed. "I need you to find the friend that helped my mother kill herself."

Shikamaru was silent. He knew that her mother's death had torn Kyoko apart but why now. Why did she want to know that information now? It wasn't good information to know. It would only torture her if the friend had been close to her mother.

"Kyoko I don't think-"

"I need to know Shika."

"Okay."

They walked back to the table and she focused on breathing slowly and deeply. She averted her eyes from Neji and TenTen. She tried to think about anything. All she could see was the moment that TenTen's face had lighted up at the announcement. She wanted to throw hot, boiling, smelly oil on the girl's face. She shook her head and turned to look at Minami who was calling her to the stage. Gaara waited for her and they walked to the stage together.

Her father looked so happy; it made her want to vomit. Gaara looked ready to hurl as well. That's when it hit her. she just _knew_. Once again, she knew what was going to be said. The thought of it made her want to hurl.

She looked at the audience, saw Naruto's smiling face and almost cried. She knew what this would do to him. She knew how much it would tear his heart apart. She was going to kill him. Her father would die by her hands.

"I am proud to announce this with my good friend!" Kyoko's father gushed.

Kyoko closed her eyes and let go of Gaara's hand. He looked at her and she shook her head. Tears were spilling from her eyes and she was on the verge on hysterical despair. She knew that this would kill her. "It's not over" by Secondhand Serenade started to play overhead and Kyoko just let her tears fall freely.

**My tears run down like razorblades  
And no, I'm not the one to blame  
It's you or is it me?  
And all the words we never say  
Come out and now we are all ashamed.  
And there is no sense in playing games,  
When you've done all you've done**

"My son has never failed to make me proud. He is great to our family and great to his community. I am as proud, if not prouder, as my good friend."

**But now it's over, it's over, why is it over?  
We had a chance to make  
Now it's over, it's over, it can't be over  
I wish that I could take it back  
But it's over**

"My daughter is a great child. She is very powerful and like Miss TenTen, she is also a prodigy child that I am proud to raise."

**I lose my sense in all these fights  
I lose my sense of wrong and right  
I cry, I cry  
It's shaking from the pain that's in my head  
I just wanna crawl in my bed  
And throw away the life I've lead  
But I won't let it die, but I won't let it die  
**

Kyoko looked out into the audience and locked eyes with Neji. He stood by TenTen and clasped her hand tightly. He had the most disgusted look on his face. As if the sight of her made him, sick and that made Kyoko cry a little harder.

**But now it's over, it's over, why is it over?  
We had a chance to make  
Now it's over, it's over, it can't be over  
I wish that I could take it back  
**

"This is a great move for our family and we would like to share this great moment with all of you. It is something that will make us friends just that much closer. I have always considered Souta Ashiya, my family."

**I'm falling apart, I'm falling apart  
Don't say this won't last forever  
You're breaking my heart, you're breaking my heart  
Don't tell me that we'll never be together  
We could be, over and over  
We could be, forever**

"I am glad that both our families will unite. The third Hokage has agreed to this union."

**It's not over, it's not over, it's never over  
Unless you let it take you  
It's not over, it's not over, it's not over  
Unless you let it break you  
It's not over**

"We are please to announce the union of my daughter, Kyoko Ashiya."

"And my son Gaara Subaku."

"They are to be wed!"

The world as they both knew it fell apart. Gaara searched for Naruto but the blonde was running for the door. Gaara pushed against the crowd that was trying to congratulate them but he ran after Naruto.

Kyoko stood there and cried. Shikamaru came from behind and picked her up. He whispered in her ear and tried his best to soothe her. it wasn't going to be easy.

Kyoko couldn't stop thinking of Naruto. The one person in her life that came above everyone else. Gaara and him were the most important people. They loved and knew her. they _knew _her. they knew everything but Naruto was hurting. He wouldn't believe that she didn't want this. he would believe her father.

Kyoko pushed her way out of Shikamaru's arms and walked over to her father. He was smiling and shaking everyone's hands. She was so angry. Anger was consuming her.

"YOU BASTARD!" Kyoko screamed.

Her father smiled even more and his eyes were invisible. It was his evil smile. A smile that she knew he gave to all his enemies who he was trying to conquer.

"I REFUSE! I WILL NOT MARRY HIM! I WILL NEVER DO ANYTHING YOU WANT! I HATE YOU! YOU WILL BURN IN HELL FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE! I AM So DONE WITH YOU! I AM DONE WITH THIS FAMILY!"

Kyoko stormed out and looked around. To her left there was no one. To her right there was no one. She was truly alone and she felt it in her very being. It was terrifying.

"You're marrying him?" Sasuke asked.

"NO!" Kyoko screamed.

"Cool. Naruto's so in love with him it's not even funny," Sasuke sighed.

"Like you are with Shino?" Kyoko sneered.

"How did you know?" Sasuke gasped.

"I'm smart," Kyoko sighed.

"I heard you talking to Shika," Sasuke sighed.

"About?" Kyoko asked.

"You want to know who helped your mom?" Sasuke asked.

"Yes," Kyoko answered.

"I know," Sasuke sighed.

"Who is it?" Kyoko asked.

"Mikoto Uchiha," Sasuke answered.

The world froze. Mikoto had been Rin Ashiya's best friend. They had been close since they were young. They had done everything together. They had taken care of each other always. They had been friends! _NO!_

"She didn't," Kyoko hissed.

"I know. I didn't believe it at first either but…I heard her talking about these drugs…I looked at your mom's case and…it all matched up," Sasuke said slowly so his voice wouldn't quiver. It had disgusted him when he found out. His mother had helped someone to take their life. Someone's mother. She had taken someone's mother away.

"I need to talk to her," Kyoko sighed.

"Why?" Sasuke hissed.

"What's with the look Sasu-chan?" Kyoko sneered.

"You will not follow your mother," Sasuke spat.

"Of course I won't! I just…I need to talk to her okay?" Kyoko answered.

"School's gonna be bad for you tomorrow," Sasuke promised.

"Tell me about it," Kyoko groaned.

"He'll get over it," Sasuke promised.

"That's the thing Sasuke…I don't think he will," Kyoko whispered.

She fell to her knees and cried. Shikamaru picked her up and took her home. He stayed the night and heard her cry herself to sleep. He heard her desperate cries for forgiveness while she was sleeping. He heard her beg Naruto and Gaara. He heard her cry for her mother and he cried with her. hoping and praying that Naruto would know the truth but as he watched the sunrise, he knew it wasn't going to happen.

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Kyoko Ashiya felt like shit. She was standing in front of the school gate and she did not want to go in. she stood there and saw Naruto sitting with Gaara and everyone. They all looked fine. She sighed and pulled her book bag up, walking straight into the loin's mouth.

She walked towards Naruto hoping that they could talk. Naruto spotted her and Kyoko couldn't breath he was looking at her as if she was pure evil.

"What are you doing here?" Naruto hissed.

"Naruto…you know-" Kyoko sighed.

"You planned this didn't you!" Naruto screamed.

"No!" Kyoko responded.

"LIAR!" Naruto yelled.

Kyoko felt her world breaking. She felt her heart grow cold and knew this feeling. It was what she always did when she felt her world breaking. She would grow cold. She would stop caring but she needed Naruto! They were each other's friends.

"Naruto…" Gaara sighed.

"NO! Don't defend her! I hate you Kyo-chan!" Naruto screamed.

Kyoko gasped and no one said anything. She closed her eyes and took a breath. She was going to make this right. If there was anyone in the world that deserved their happy ending and true love, it was Naruto.

"You will regret that one day," Kyoko whispered as she walked away. She was not going to cry. She refused to cry. It was Naruto's lost. _Yeah, right._

"Kyo-chan…" Gaara whispered from her side.

She turned to look at him with wide eyes and knew that she didn't need anyone. She knew how to be alone while Naruto was dangerous if he was kept by himself. Kyoko couldn't be by his side so she needed someone else to be by his side. She needed that person to be Gaara.

"Go back," Kyoko hissed.

"Kyo-chan…" Gaara sighed.

"I need you by his side. I need you to watch him not do something stupid. He is my precious person and I can't be by him. You need to watch him. Please Gaara," Kyoko begged.

"You need me too," Gaara hissed.

"No. I know loneliness Gaara and I…I can handle it," Kyoko sighed.

"You shouldn't have to," Gaara begged.

"Go back!" Kyoko begged.

"Fine!" Gaara spat. He walked to the table and sat down next to Naruto who cuddle against him. Gaara closed his eyes and tried to figure out what he was feeling. His chest felt tight and his eyes burned.

"Gaara…why are you crying?" Naruto whispered.

Gaara gasped and looked back at Kyoko. She locked eyes with him and they were both crying. They knew that until this was solved they wouldn't be able to be friends. They needed a solution and they needed one fast. Gaara mouthed that he was sorry and Kyoko nodded as she walked back into school.

Kyoko sighed and tried to open her locker. She tried two more times and then finally it did open. She got her books out and closed the door.

"AH!" Kyoko screamed. She placed a hand to her heart and tried to breath evenly but it was hard to do when Neji had just scared the crap out of her.

"Kyoko," Neji sighed.

"What do you want?" Kyoko asked. It was going to one of those days. Kyoko knew that because first Naruto yelled at her and then stupid Neji was talking to her at this ungodly hour. The world was just trying to screw her over.

"You are a liar aren't you? Perfected the craft haven't you?" Neji hissed.

"What the fuck crawled up your ass and died Hyuga?" Kyoko sneered.

"You and Gaara huh?" Neji laughed.

Kyoko rolled her eyes and walked away. She tried to but Neji grabbed her arm and pulled her into a dark storage closet. She sighed and fell down to the floor and just sat there. She waited and waited because she knew how slow Neji could be when trying to say something. She pulled an orange out of her bag and began to peel it. Neji sat down in front of her and sighed.

"You two aren't going to happen right?" Neji asked.

"Fuck no," Kyoko answered.

"Good. Then can you answer me one thing?" Neji asked in a sweet tone. _Too sweet…what's he so mad about?_ Kyoko thought.

"Sure…" Kyoko said.

"WHY THE FUCK DIDN'T YOU WANT TO MARRY ME?" Neji screamed.

Kyoko froze. She felt her blood slow down until it was frozen in place. Her lungs weren't working. Her heart had stopped beating. She had not just heard that. Marrying Neji was not an option that had been given to her. If it had….well… she would have said yes. She would have said yes because no matter what, she loved him. She loves him.

"MY UNCLE TELLS ME THAT HE OFFERED ME TO YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR FATHER SAID YOU SAID NO! AM I NOT GOOD ENOUGH? YOU'D RATHER BE WITH SOMEONE WHOSE GAY?" Neji screamed.

Kyoko rolled her eyes and ate a piece of her orange. Eventually Neji would stop screaming and let her talk. She would wait.

"HE TOLD ME I COULD HAVE YOU! GOD AND ALL I COULD THINK ABOUT WAS…ARE YOU REALLY THAT HURT?" Neji screamed.

Kyoko laughed and waited until Neji looked at her in the eyes. She offered him a piece of the sweet fruit and he took half. While he was focusing on breathing, Kyoko took a deep breath.

"Your uncle told you that?" Kyoko asked. Her voice was calm and she heard the edge of hysteria that was caging in on her world in the few words she had spoken.

"Yes," Neji answered.

"Your uncle who hates me?"

"Y-Yes."

"Your uncle who isn't really too fond of you?"

"Yesss."

"Your uncle who once told me that he would kill the entire Hyuga clan before he ever let me near your family?"

"Oh."

"Yeah."

Kyoko sighed and looked at her watch. Today was a day to skip. She didn't want to be in school. Not with all the great retarded news flying around.

"If you had had the option would you have –" Neji asked.

"Yes," Kyoko answered.

They looked at each other and sighed. They were both engaged. To people they would have never chosen.

"So TenTen huh?" Kyoko laughed. "She's a keeper Hyuga. Got one hell of a left hook so watch out. Don't go cheating on her."

"Gaara would be the one cheating in your relationship huh?" Neji laughed.

"Probably," Kyoko sighed. "He loves Naruto. I want them to be together. I've never thought that I've needed to be happy. As long as those I love are happy, what's a couple of tears now and then? But now…I just don't know how to fix this."

"It'll be fine," Neji soothed. "Kyoko…"

Neji sat down next to her and took a deep breath. He smelled her hair and sighed. She was the love of his life. He needed her. The two years she had been gone…Neji hadn't been himself. He had been moody and angry at the world. He was only nice to Hinata and Hinabi. He grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips, gently placing a kiss on her palm.

"Tsuki…" Kyoko sighed.

Neji lost it. He should have had more control but he was never that smart around Kyoko. He just always seemed to loose the smart part of his brain whenever she was around. So he did the thing Tsuki (senseless Neji) did. He kissed Kyoko and place his hand under her shirt to undo her bra. Kyoko moaned into the kiss and straddled Neji's hips. She pulled his ponytail out and tugged at his head. Neji pulled away and looked at Kyoko who was panting.

"This is…" Neji sighed.

"Insane," Kyoko answered. She placed her lips on Neji's neck and found his sensitive spot, right behind his ear on his jaw line. She bit down and moaned. Neji's hips shot up as Kyoko sucked on his neck. He grabbed her hips and they began to grind on each other.

"Tsuki…please," Kyoko begged.

"Hoshi," Neji sighed.

Neji undid her bra and lifted her shirt up. He licked his way around her breasts and when she cried out, he took her nipple in his mouth and flicked his tongue over the sensitive bud. Kyoko cried out and arched her back.

Neji laid her down and removed his shirt as well. He kissed her passionately and tugged at her pants. They had done this sort of rushed passionate moment before Kyoko had left. They had been like rabbits. In between classes. Lunch. After class. During class. Before school. During school assemblies. It had been an endless cycle of hickies and sex. They had always been so hot for each other that Neji was always on edge and Kyoko was always soaking wet.

"Now," Kyoko begged.

"Are you sure?" Neji asked.

"Take me idiot," Kyoko hissed.

"With pleasure," Neji moaned.

Neji pushed two of his fingers inside of Kyoko and felt himself harden to the point of pain. He needed to feel her around him. he moved his fingers in and out and heard her breath hitch. She moaned and started moving her hips in time with his fingers.

"Ah…Tsuki!" Kyoko moaned as Neji entered her in one smooth thrust. Kyoko dug her nails into Neji's shoulders and wrapped her legs around his waist. She felt his lips bit down on her shoulder.

"Ha-harder," Kyoko begged.

"Fuck Hoshi…" Neji moaned around the hickey he was giving her.

"Tsuki….ah…more….uhnn…" Kyoko moaned.

"Hoshi…" Neji hissed as he felt himself grow closer to the edge. He moaned and bit down harder on Kyoko's neck .

"Tsuki!" Kyoko screamed as she convulsed around Neji. Neji felt Kyoko tighten around him and he lost it. He came so hard that there was black around his eyes.

Neji rolled to his side and tried to breath. Kyoko was trying to catch her breath. She couldn't see. She had forgotten how good it was to be with Neji. She liked this but she knew it wasn't permanent. It couldn't be permanent.

"N-Neji…" Kyoko panted.

"Y-y-yeah?" Neji panted.

"My dad mentioned something about a contract with the Hokage that had to do with the engagements…" Kyoko said.

"Yeah. It's binding. There is no way out of it. we have to marry. The only way out is if someone dies. If that happens the other person…can choose whoever they want," Neji answered.

"Huh. Simple," Kyoko sighed.

"Yeah. You kill TenTen and uh…" Neji laughed.

"Nah. If anyone were to die it would be – " Kyoko sighed.

"Don't you even finish that sentence," Neji spat as he got dressed.

"Neji…come on," Kyoko sighed. She was getting dressed when he placed his forehead on her shoulder and sighed. They were sighing a lot lately. It seemed as if happiness was evading them.

"I can't…I can't live in a world without you," Neji whispered.

"I love you too Tsuki," Kyoko murmured.

"Swear," Neji hissed.

"About what?" Kyoko asked. She tilted her head. She didn't want to make that promise. She didn't want to make it because she didn't know if she could keep it because if it was an option to make Naruto happy then…she would do it. There were no second thoughts. Naruto was important to her. She needed him to be happy because he had saved her from darkness.

"Swear you won't kill yourself," Neji demanded.

"Neji…" Kyoko sighed.

"Please," Neji begged.

"I won't kill myself," Kyoko mimicked.

"I'm serious," Neji hissed.

"Me too," Kyoko scolded.

"Kyoko Ashiya! I swear if you even try it…" Neji trailed off with an angry voice.

"Hey! I'm smart. You'd think I'd be too slow if I wanted to kill myself?" Kyoko laughed.

"Not funny," Neji sighed.

"Neji Hyuga, I have never been able to keep my promises to you. You know that," Kyoko whispered against his cheek," Kyoko sighed.

"I love you Kyoko," Neji whispered fiercely.

"We can't be together. There is no way out of these contracts," Kyoko sighed.

"If we spoke to the Hokage –" Neji argued.

"The contracts are signed in our family's blood. Both yours and mine. TenTen and Gaara. There would have to a sacrifice from each family," Kyoko sighed. "I couldn't let anyone from Gaara's family die. And what if it was Hinabi or Hinata? No. no way."

"I know but to spend my life with someone who isn't you…it feels as if the world will end the minute I say 'I do' to her," Neji hissed.

"Life's not fair huh?" Kyoko laughed.

"Nope," Neji sighed.

Kyoko looked at him and laughed. He looked so disgruntled that it reminded her of the Neji she had known. Before she had walked into his life, Neji had been stoic and non-emotional and when she walked in and he never was able to control himself around her. it made her laugh and feel carefree to be around him again. She knew that they were soulmates but that their families would never allow it.

"Come to my house," Kyoko whispered seductively in Neji's ear. He shivered and kissed her hard. He stood up and grabbed her hand. Neither of them showed up to school for the rest of the day. Instead, they enjoyed each other and tired not to think of the people they were tied to.

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Mikoto Uchiha…eh-hem…Uzumaki….Or was it Uchiha-Uzumaki? Anyways, Mikoto had a lot on her mind. Her stepson Naruto was depressed. Her son Sasuke was well….in love. With who was a mystery. Neither was talking much at all. The only one Sasuke wanted to talk to was Neji. The only one Naruto wanted to talk to was Gaara. That wasn't right! Naruto's best friend was Kyoko and Sasuke's was Shino.

It was so depressing that Mikoto just wanted them out of the house. She kicked them out that Saturday with their father and screamed that when they came back they better be happy and great. That if they weren't then she would force them to talk to her. They shivered and went out.

Now she was alone sipping coffee looking at pictures of her wedding day. Minato was training and her sons were out fixing themselves. She was doing a good job. She laughed and stopped when she heard the door. She was humming as she answered the door but the song died in her throat as she saw Kyoko Ashiya standing before her.

"Ashiya-chan…" Mikoto whispered.

"Is that what you use to call my mom?" Kyoko sneered as she pushed her way into the house. She stood in the hallway waiting for Mikoto to say something. They stared at each other and Kyoko sighed.

"I called your mom Rin-chan," Mikoto answered.

"She probably hated it," Kyoko sighed.

"She did," Mikoto agreed.

"You know why I'm here right?" Kyoko asked.

"Yes. Would you like some tea?" Mikoto offered.

Kyoko followed her to the kitchen and sat down at the table. She looked at the pictures of Naruto smiling at his father's wedding and there was Gaara smirking next to him. They were both in tuxedos and they looked gorgeous. She smiled and traced Naruto's face with her fingertip.

"He missed you that day," Mikoto whispered.

"I missed him every second I was gone," Kyoko sighed.

"You look like her," Mikoto sighed.

"I know," Kyoko answered.

"She had a contract," Mikoto whispered. Kyoko kept her head down and sighed.

"A blood one right? With the Hokage?" Kyoko asked.

"Yes. It was made before you were born. Rin was…dangerous when she was young. She was involved in a dangerous gang that existed back then. They called themselves the Death Angels. Rin was very powerful in the group but…she met your father. He was the leader for a crime group. They were looking for the daughter of one of their members that had run away to join the Death Angels. The girl had been staying with your mom and when your parents met…it was a whirlwind of passion. They started dating. It was a first for your mother. She loved him. She wanted to be with him. She wanted to leave but couldn't and she was pregnant with you. She had a blood contract with the Death Angels. She went to the Hokage and he told her to marry your father and he would protect you both. Except that your father was angry at Rin for making the contract she had made."

Mikoto's eyes looked dark and she sighed. This was hard. Rin had been a slip of a girl when she made the horrible mistakes of her life. She had been alone and had no one to guide her. She had turned her life around.

"He left her and joined in on the hunt for you both. He wanted to take you away form her to hurt her. He was angry at her for various reasons. I'm not too sure about them but he was mad. The night she gave birth to you, she was out of it and I was the nurse at the hospital. She kept murmuring and crying about your father and when he came…I gave you to him. Rin had lost a lot of blood and it looked like she wasn't going to make it. He gave you up for adoption. So that no one could have you. He thought Rin would ever find you. It was the worst mistake of my life. When Rin woke up, she screamed at me and told me everything. The contract. Your father. The Death Angels. I began to cry with her and swore to her that I would help find you. It took us a very long time. As you know it took us ten years and it was so long for Rin."

Kyoko cried as she remembered the years she was in the foster homes. She cried as she remembered the part that was about to be told.

"The day we found you…we were both ecstatic. I handle all the paperwork and you both went into hiding, you didn't know it though. I had my Uncle Fuku Uchiha hunt down the Death Angels and take their power down. It was easy enough because they were all criminals. Then…something happened that was unexpected a month before your mother killed herself. One of the Death Angels…the one that had recruited your mother, went to the Hokage with the contract. Your mother screamed bloody murder when the Hokage had to bow down his head and obey the contract. Your mother received a copy of the contract and brought it to me. We looked over it and over it, praying to find a way out of it."

Mikoto walked towards the china cabinet behind Kyoko and pulled out a piece of paper. It was the contract; she handed it to Kyoko and sat back down.

"It was a mistake. One she regretted the minute she knew she was pregnant. The contract was a promise to the Death Angels to hand her first-born child, boy or girl, over to them. It was the only way they would let her in. they wanted her child because of the Kekki Genki her bloodline has. She was hysterical. She went to you father and made a deal, if something were to happen to her, for any reason at all, she would leave you to him and he swore never to give you to the Death Angels. It was the perfect escape. Except that the only way out of the Death Angels blood contract was for her to die. If she died, they would leave you alone. That's when she came to me."

Kyoko looked at the contract and crushed it in her hands. She was so angry. Her mother had been a horrible person. She had changed but…she had done something so disgusting.

"She had to die from normal circumstances. It was there in the contract. If she was murdered or killed herself, the Death Angels still got you. It had to natural. That was the hard part. I worked in the hospital and began my research. I tried not to focus on what I was really doing. I was helping my friend die. I was going to take her from you and let you go to your father. Finally, I found the right drug combination. She took the first part of the drugs for a week. She started getting sick and coming to the hospital, were I would inject the second part of the drugs. Finally, the day she died I gave her the last of the drugs. She died and the rest you know. I found out later that it didn't matter how you took the drugs. It didn't have to be spaced out because all of them in one dose would have the same effect. I guess it was better for her to let people see her sick so that it was more believable. The Hokage handed you over to you father and activated the blood contract he had made with your mother. "

"She did it for me?" Kyoko cried.

"You were her world. She knew the dangers of the Death Angels. She could never have put you in that world," Mikoto soothed.

Mikoto brought Kyoko to her lap and held the girl as they both cried. Kyoko had wanted to be with her mother. She had hated her mother for what she had done and now…she couldn't help but understand her mother. She knew why her mother had done what she had done and knew that it had been the right thing for that situation. There was no way around it.

"I heard that your family had entered you in a blood contract," Mikoto said. Her voice was nervous. Kyoko heard it and knew that the woman was assuming things. She wasn't far off but seriously? Everyone was thinking that she would kill herself.

"Afraid I'll take the same escape?" Kyoko asked.

"Yes. I need to tell you that being married to someone who is a friend isn't that bad and you are close to Gaara –" Mikoto begged.

"He's gay and in love with my best friend. Who is hating me right now," Kyoko sighed. _Ah, so that's what's wrong with Naruto,_ Mikoto sighed.

"Life gets better," Mikoto whispered.

"When?! In between, marrying someone who's gay? Or letting the one I love marry someone else? Does it get better after Naruto stops talking to me? Was it supposed to be better after my mom died? WHEN DOES IT GET BETTER?" Kyoko screamed. "IT'S NEVER GOING TO BE BETTER! I WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE HERE! IF SHE HAD GIVEN ME OVER TO THE DEATH ANGELS, Naruto WOULD HAVE Gaara AND Neji WOULD NEVER HAVE TO KNOW WHO I AM!"

Kyoko pushed her way out of Mikoto's arms and ran out of the house. She walked aimlessly until she reached the shadiest bar her father owned. She sat down at the bar and began to eat the peanuts in a bowl on the countertop and didn't even notice Naruto and Sasuke sulking in a corner of the bar.

Naruto lifted his head immediately as soon as he sensed her chakra. Kyoko continued to be oblivious to her surroundings and just cried while eating the stale peanuts.

"I hate her," Naruto hissed. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. He felt his heart hurt so badly at the thought of not talking to her but she hadn't taken Gaara away from him. The love of his life Gaara.

"Sure you do," Sasuke replied sarcastically.

"I do!" Naruto insisted.

"You know what my mom use to tell me about me never being mad at my dad but always being mad at her?" Sasuke asked.

"No but I know your going to tell me," Naruto muttered.

"She used to tell me that it's always easier to be mad at someone who you know will forgive when you ask for forgiveness. It's easier to be mad at the people we love the most because they'll still love us," Sasuke sighed.

"I love Gaara," Naruto spat.

"But you don't know if he'll come back. Kyoko always will. She loves you. You're her precious person and you know it because she's told you so. She'll love you always," Sasuke shrugged.

"Why did she pick Gaara?" Naruto cried.

"You honestly think she picked him?" Sasuke hissed.

"…no," Naruto sighed.

"Then stop being stupid. She's having enough of a hard time as it is," Sasuke sighed.

"How do you know?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke sighed. He knew it was none of his business. He knew that Kyoko would tell whoever she wanted to tell but his mom wanted Naruto and him fixed. The only way to do that was to get Naruto to talk to Kyoko. He knew the one piece of information that would get him to do that. He was going to fix his because the blonde was annoying when he was sad.

"She found out who helped her mom kill herself," Sasuke whispered.

"What?!" Naruto screamed.

Kyoko froze. She knew who that was. She knew that blonde was there and felt herself cry a little bit harder. She pulled out her cell phone and called her boyfriend. He said that he would be there soon. She looked at the bartender and ordered seven shots of tequila or as the bar called it a 'hard suck.'

She looked at the liquor in front of her and stopped to think. Think about the fact that she swore never to touch alcohol. She looked at the amber liquid and heard a small chant in her mind.

_Forget the pain. Down the drink. Numb it all. _ Shot one

_Forget the pain. Down the drink. Numb it all. _ Shot two

_Forget the pain. Down the drink. Numb it all. _ Shot three

_Forget the pain. Down the drink. Numb it all. _ Shot four

_Forget the pain. Down the drink. Numb it all. _ Shot five

_Forget the pain. Down the drink. Numb it all. _ Shot six

_Forget the pain. Down the drink. Numb it all. _ Shot seven

It wasn't enough though. She still saw Naruto's crying face at the party and she saw herself looking in the mirror the morning after her mother's funeral. She still saw Neji and TenTen. She still saw her father.

She raised her hand to order another round when a small tanned hand slammed her hand make on the countertop. She turned to curse the idiot out when she let a sob escape as she saw it was Naruto. Her mouth hung open and she couldn't breathe. He was near her. He was touching her. If she wasn't mistaken, he also had a look of concern on his face that looked as if it was directed towards her.

"Thought you'd never touch the stuff," Naruto sighed as he took a seat next to her.

"Well…it seems to be the only one believing in me. Also seems like a great solution to all those little fucking problems I have," Kyoko murmured.

"You've been crying," Naruto said. Kyoko nodded and laid her head on the countertop and shrugged her shoulders. "I'm sorry."

"Nah. I am. I'm sorry for my very existence," Kyoko mumbled into the countertop.

"Why would you say that?" Naruto sighed.

"Did you know that if my mother hadn't killed herself, you would be able to be with Gaara?" Kyoko hissed. "And Neji would have never met me and he would be happy! Instead all I've left is a trail of misery and sorrow."

"You know that's not true," Naruto scolded.

"Oh really? Then why can't you look me in the eye? Why did I have sex with Neji and we both cried when we said good-bye? Why does part of you hate me? Why did your step mom help my mom kill herself?" Kyoko asked. She was hysterical and there was no stopping the emotions that were threatening to kill her.

"Mi-Mikoto?" Naruto gasped.

"Make it stop Naruto," Kyoko begged. She grabbed the front of his shirt and shook him. "Please just make it stop. I hear him in my head and I want to be with him but I can't. I see your face and I want to tear my father to shreds. Please. Please Naruto. I want it to end."

Naruto hugged her tightly and cried right along with her. Life wasn't fair. He knew that. He knew the only way out of the contract was death. He didn't want that for Gaara or for Kyoko. He loved them both so much, that he could never choose between them. They were both equally a part of him that he couldn't bring himself to imagine a life without them.

"Hey Kyo-chan," Shikamaru whispered in her ear as he showed up. He tried not to look surprised as he saw Naruto and Kyoko hugging and crying but he was finding it hard. "Naruto."

"Hey Shika. Grab her and we'll take her to Sakura. She's working in the hospital under Mikoto's apprenticeship. She can give Kyoko something to calm her down," Naruto reasoned.

"Let's go," Shika nodded.

Kyoko clung to Shikamaru and let herself be carried away. When they reached Sakura, the pink-haired girl gave Kyoko a sedative in order to let her sleep. As Kyoko was nodding off, she was holding on to the distinct hope of asking Sakura for help. Kyoko knew what she had to do and she was going to do it. she needed the help of her pink haired friend in order to execute her plan. Because Kyoko Ashiya knew, exactly what she had to do in order to give her friend, Naruto Uzumaki, exactly what he needed in order to be happy.

She was capable of anything in order to give Naruto the happiness that he wanted. She knew she was capable of anything. It was in her blood. After all, if her mother could do it then so could Kyoko.

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**Hello little readers. Lol. **


	4. Wise Words Mean Nothing To Stupid People

**Enjoy and cheers! **

**Some of you are so0o0o going to hate me for this chapter! I hope you still love me as much as I love all of my readers! This is my favorite story to write and I hope you all enjoy the read!**

Memory

**Dream**

_Thoughts… _

_Kyoko's thoughts are like this and __**Neji's are like this**_

**CHAPTER 4:**

**Wise Words Mean Nothing to the Stupid**

Kyoko took a deep breath. She knew what she was doing. She knew what had to be done. Sakura had understood and had very reluctantly agreed to help. There were promises that the pink-haired girl made Kyoko make. Kyoko shook her head and sighed at her reflection.

"People swear that I don't know what I'm doing," Kyoko sighed at herself.

She walked down the stairs and entered her car. She told the driver that she was ready to go and she closed her eyes. She prayed that she didn't stand out tonight. Her school was introducing all the people that were participating in the talent show. It was a masquerade part and all the people participating would go on stage at the end of the night and take off their masks.

Kyoko was dressed rather well, in her opinion. She was wearing a short dark purple kimono that hit her mid-thigh. It was a Wa-Lolita Hana with Black Obi kimono dress and (**A/N: there is a link on my profile for the dress**) her mask was shaped like a butterfly and it was the same dark color as her dress. She was wearing black knee-high lace-up leather boots. She thought that it was perfect. Her father thought that she was going to wear a red dress kimono in order to match Gaara, but instead she had worn this one and told Naruto to wear red. They would spend the night together and she would hopefully get part of her plan done tonight. If Kabuto had what she needed than her plan would be set in motion.

Kyoko was desperate. That's why she needed Kobuto. There were two things she needed that Sakura refused to get for her because she was afraid of what Kyoko might do. It seemed that no one understood that she had to do this. There was no other option. She had everything planned out. She knew it would work. It had to work. For Naruto.

That's all she had to keep telling herself.

"Hey you," Gaara greeted her.

Kyoko smiled and nodded at him. He chatted her up as she scanned the room for Kabuto.

Gaara was not a fool he knew that there was something strange on his friends mind. He knew that there was something going on that she didn't want to tell him and that scared him. For, in his mind, there should be nothing that Kyoko and him would hide from each other. They knew about their dirty families and their true loves. They were the closest friends that someone could have. It was a nice thing to have. Gaara wanted to keep it that way.

"Who are you looking for?" Gaara asked.

"Nobody," Kyoko lied.

"Now, now…no lies Kyo-chan," Gaara murmured.

"Hey look there's Naruto," Kyoko giggled. She shoved Gaara in the direction that the blonde was coming from and she spotted Kabuto. He was looking for her too.

She walked over to him and he smiled. She felt a chill go down her spine. He was a low-life but she needed what he had.

"Your friends know you better than you think Kyo-chan," Kabuto laughed.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Kyoko hissed. Kabuto had talked to her friends? They couldn't possibly know what she was thinking of doing! Could they?

"So far…Shika, Neji, Gaara, Naruto, and Sasuke have all talked to me about not giving you what you've asked for," Kabuto laughed.

"And what did you say?" Kyoko sighed.

"I told them I wouldn't but Kyo-chan business is business and these drugs are gonna cost you a pretty penny."

"How much?"

"50,000 American dollars."

"Take my purse. It's all there plus 5,000 more for you to keep quiet."

"Thank you for your business. Try not to hurt yourself Kyo-chan."

Kabuto walked away and Kyoko shook her head. Yes…Kabuto would have told her friends that he wouldn't sell her drugs but he would do it anyways because the drugs were rare and the rarer the drug the more money he would bank. She knew that's what he wanted so she had no problem doing it. She just needed to time it all to an exact point. She had to do this for Naruto. She needed him to be happy and she knew that no one else would understand why she was doing this but she had to end this once and for all.

"Hello," Shika sighed as he walked towards her. Kyoko pulled out her second purse and carefully put her drugs in the purse without Shika looking. She kissed him on his cheek and hugged him tightly.

"Hey Shika," Kyoko chirped.

"You seem happy," Shika laughed.

"I am!" she giggled.

Everything was working out the way she wanted. Of course she was happy. She had gotten…well tricked Sakura into helping but that didn't matter. What mattered was that Sakura was going to help!

"Have you seen Haruno around?" Kyoko asked. She scanned the room for the pink-haired ninja but couldn't spot her.

"Sakura? Yeah she's talking to Naruto and Gaara," Shikamaru sighed.

"WHAT?" Kyoko screamed.

She ran off in the direction that Gaara and Naruto were in and sure enough there was Sakura talking to them. Both Gaara and Naruto wore grim expressions and Kyoko felt the urge to run the other way.

"Why so blue panda bear?" Kyoko joked as she poked Gaara's cheek. He looked at her and rolled his eyes. Naruto sighed and put his head on Gaara's shoulder.

"Hyuga's here," Gaara hissed.

Kyoko nodded as she saw Neji walk in and TenTen was wearing a dark pink dress. She laughed as she saw that Neji had come as an angel. He was in an all white suit and had a masked that was covered in feathers. Naruto smiled and so did Gaara.

"Ah, so he's an angel?" Kyoko laughed.

"Funny…I thought angels didn't have sex with people in closets," Naruto murmured.

"Naruto!" Kyoko blushed.

"What?" Naruto laughed.

"He is so hot," Sakura laughed.

"That he is bubble gum. That he is," Kyoko sighed.

"Where's Shika?" Gaara asked.

"Oh…he's around here somewhere," Kyoko muttered. "Bubble gum, come with me would ya?"

"Sure," Sakura murmured.

Sakura knew that she should have said no. that was the smart thing to do. She was a smart girl. At least she tried to be. But she was new and Kyoko just seemed to fit in with everyone. Everyone knew who she was. Everyone loved her. Everyone thought highly of her. Kyoko thought that people associated her with her father but that wasn't true. Everyone just thought of her as Kyoko Ashiya. Just her. Not her mother. Not her father. She was just a girl who wanted to be a ninja who was really powerful. That's why Sakura had said yes before she knew what she was saying yes to. It was so stupid and she wanted to tell someone but they had made some sort of weird ninja vow that she still wasn't too clear on that prevented her from telling anyone. Pain ran through her when she had almost tried to tell Gaara and Naruto.

"You can't tell anyone," Kyoko hissed as they entered an empty storage closet.

"I know. We made a promise," Sakura sighed.

"I know we did. That's why I'm telling you, you can't tell anyone. That pact we made…we made it to each other and the dead," Kyoko muttered.

Sakura's eyes went wide. No. no way. She had not made a pact with…_dead people!_ What the hell was Kyoko talking about?

"What?" Sakura blurted.

"It's part of my stupid Kekki Genki. I can…reach the dead so to speak. They help me make people keep their promises to me," Kyoko tried to explain.

"How?" Sakura asked.

"We contacted them. Remember the words?" Kyoko sighed. "They bring forth chakra from us and ashes and spirit light from the dead. They twist together and form a bond on the last stage of my chakra. That ties you not only to me but the dead. And they are hungry for life Sakura; don't tempt them by trying to tell someone."

Sakura closed her eyes and absorbed what she had just been told. It was almost like signing the stupid leaf village's blood contracts. She hated them and she had signed one. God was she stupid. Not only had she made such a serious promise but if she said something…_spirits_ would take her life! How ridiculous! God she was so angry. She was angry that she had to do this because she was pretty sure that if she didn't Kyoko would try to do this herself and cause some serious damage. Damn she hated being nice and stupid. It made her naïve. She had to liven up before she ended up in some serious trouble!

"This is stupid. You know that right? Something so serious for such trivial things," Sakura sighed.

"It's not something trivial! They are important to me!" Kyoko screeched.

"Aren't you forgetting someone?" Sakura hissed.

"They'll both move on. Shikamaru and Neji deserve better," Kyoko muttered.

"They don't want better! They want you!" Sakura screamed.

Kyoko shook her head and walked out of the storage closet. She didn't want to hear a lecture on those two. She had talked about it enough in her head. She didn't want to think about the fact that Shika didn't know that she had slept with Neji. She didn't want to think about marrying Gaara. She wanted to down something strong and numb herself. It was a bad thing to do. She knew that. You think she didn't? The question was…did she care? Nope. She wanted to stop the pain.

She sat down in front of the bar and someone unexpected sat down next to her. The smell of sand was familiar. She closed her eyes and thought of her second home. The sand village. That's where her best friend had lived. It was his home and the stories she had heard made it her second home. The visit had only made it her second home more.

"Well, getting drunk Ashiya? I expected more from you," Temari chuckled.

"Now, now Temari…we both know to expect almost anything from me. After all…we're family," Kyoko laughed.

"Not yet," Temari reminded her.

"Not ever," Kyoko assured her.

"And how are you my blue-haired friend gonna get out of this one?" Temari asked. "I've seen you work magic…but this is gonna take those dead spirits of yours and something else."

"Remember what you taught me Temari?" Kyoko asked.

"Always have an Ace up your sleeve," Temari answered.

"Always," Kyoko muttered as she raised the shot of tequila in the air to toast something only she knew about. She tilted her head back and felt the liquor burn her throat. It felt good to distract herself from the pain in her heart.

"Well… here's to always," Temari sighed.

They took two shots and began laughing at the fact that some people were dressed ridiculously for this masquerade party. They both thought that Gaara and Naruto looked cute together.

"I wonder what kind of drunk you are Ashiya," Temari asked after their fourth shot of tequila.

"Oh it varies," Kyoko answered. "Sometimes I'm a funny drunk. Sometimes I'm a depressed drunk. I've only ever been an angry drunk once. Mostly I'm clumsy and I just laugh. I can be a stupid drunk too. "

"Well, lets get you laughing," Temari giggled as she handed Kyoko another shot.

Kyoko took the drink and after their eighth shot she lost count. She was on four again when she lost count _again. _Temari pulled her to the dance floor and they danced for what felt like hours. Temari danced with different boys and Kyoko never danced with anyone until arms draped in white wrapped themselves around her. She sighed and let her head fall to the guy's shoulder. He was whispering in her ear and she couldn't make the words out. He sounded fuzzy and she was really out of it.

"Hoshi…" the voice murmured.

Oh…it was Neji. Nice soft Neji. Ahh…this was so right. This was nice. She was drunk. Really drunk. Drunk in a way she shouldn't allow herself to be unless she was accompanied by Gaara. Gaara would keep her safe from her own stupidity.

"Tsuki…" Kyoko murmured.

Neji kissed her and the rest was forgotten. He forgot about his date who was currently fucking Kabuto in a dark booth. He forgot about his uncle who was going to rot in hell, mark my words. He forgot about the world and only remembered this girl who he had bonded with. This girl who had brought him joy and insanity in such a passionate package. She forgot about her father. She forgot about her plan. She forgot about her engagement.

At the moment, it seemed right. At the moment, it was amazing. At the moment, it was smart to them. Come morning…nothing smart would come of it.

* * *

TenTen was a smart girl. She knew what she wanted and went after it. She had wanted Neji and got him. Except that, she had never really had Neji. She heard rumors of course. She heard of how Neji had been with Kyoko and she wanted him to be like that with her but he never was. She didn't have him and that irritated her because she never lost. Never lost. Yet she was losing. She was losing then man who she was suppose to marry and she could tell that he could barely stand to be around her lately.

That's why she lashed out. Against Kyoko and against Neji. Not that Neji noticed her sleeping with Kabuto. She rose from her bed and shoved Kabuto off her bed. He popped up and she shoved him out the door.

She sat down on her bed and tried to think of a way to win Neji. What was so amazing about Kyoko? She wasn't special. Sure, she was a prodigy ninja. TenTen was too. What else? Nothing. She was no one.

TenTen was tired of this. She wanted Neji.

She would have him.

She wanted him to love her!

TenTen was tired of trying to lure him easily.

She would have to do something drastic.

She would have to resort to the evil things that her sister taught her.

She had to ask her sister the best way to get Neji into bed with her.

"Aki!" TenTen screamed.

"What?" Aki asked.

"How'd you get Iruka?" TenTen asked.

Aki smiled as she remembered how she had tricked her current husband into marriage. It was wrong sure but they were happy together now. She knew it was for the best and if she had to teach her younger sister her tricky methods then she would. She wanted her sister to be happy and Neji was the key to her sister's happiness.

"I got him drunk and naked. The next morning he woke up naked and me naked next to him. He made an assumption and I never said no," Aki explained.

"Think it would work for me?" TenTen pleaded.

"Yes!" Aki assured.

* * *

Neji woke up with a groan on his lips. He looked to his left and saw bright blue hair spread across his pillow. Neji laughed and gently touched the hair. He felt her stir and realized that she needed to leave. This could cause horrible trouble for them both and he didn't want trouble for her. He wanted her safe. He wanted to know that she would be okay.

"Hoshi…" he whispered in her ear.

She blinked her eyes open and immediately wanted to close them. The dream had been so nice. The dream that she wouldn't have to sneak out because she was welcome in the Hyuga compound, but she was unwelcome and she did have to leave. She was so tired of pretending. She was so tired of everything. She was willing to do almost anything to be with Neji. The thing was… she was afraid to ask him to do anything for her because he might say no and that was something she couldn't handle.

"Stupid drunk," she whispered.

"Hoshi…this wasn't stupid," Neji said.

"Really? Not stupid huh? Then why am I going to have to sneak away like a whore?" Kyoko hissed.

Neji closed his eyes and couldn't say anything because he knew it was true. She wouldn't be able to walk through the front door without questions. She wouldn't ever be able to do that as TenTen could. She would be questioned and sneered at and he hated his family for it.

"I'm sorry…"

"Don't Neji. Just don't."

"Kyoko…"

"STOP! Just stop! Last night shouldn't have happened and you know what? Nothing will ever happen again! This is stupid. We're stupid. We can't be together Neji. Let's stop torturing ourselves."

"Kyoko…if there was a way…"

"What way Tsuki? Run away and what? Become rouge ninjas? No. No way. I couldn't ask that of you. And I know you couldn't do it."

"If it meant being with you, I would do anything."

"No. Don't say that."

Kyoko grabbed her things and began dressing. She couldn't look at Neji. She knew he was sitting on his bed just waiting for her to say the word and god did she want to say them. She wanted to throw herself into his arms but she couldn't. She couldn't love him. She wanted to so badly. She wanted to have him forever and the mere thought of him being with someone else made her skin crawl and she hated it. She hated her life. She had to fix everything because the weight of this horrible situation had fallen to her shoulders because she was the only one thinking of a situation to make this better.

"I'm gonna make this better for Gaara. He wants Naruto. He's trying to rack his brain and he can't think of anything because he's too caught up with Naruto's emotions. I'll fix this," Kyoko swore.

"Why do you have to fix this? Why can't you let it play out?" Neji demanded.

"AND DO WHAT Neji? LET Naruto SUFFER? NO!" she screamed.

"Why is it your job?" Neji asked.

"Because I've already figured out a way," Kyoko explained.

"You have?" Neji whispered.

"Yes. I'm sorry that my plan only frees Gaara. If I could figure out a way to save you too then I would, but this plan…it's only for me to play out," Kyoko whispered.

"You cannot kill yourself!" Neji screamed.

"Jesus! Why is that the first fucking thing everyone thinks of?" Kyoko hissed.

"Your mother…"

"She did that out of love and I know better."

"Do you?"

"No but there's a clause in the contract or I would have tried that first."

"Don't joke."

"I never joke Neji."

"Kyoko. I love you."

"Love you too Neji."

Kyoko jumped out the window and ran towards her house. She saw her father leaving and felt another surge of rage rush through her. She couldn't stand the sight of him. She hated him. She knew her mother had had no other choice but…that wasn't enough. Kyoko would have rather have been with that stupid gang than with her father.

She shook her head and knew better than to dwell on unchangeable things. She had other things to think about. She walked into her house and nearly killed the person standing in the living room.

"Hokage!" Kyoko hissed.

"Hello Kyo-chan," the Hokage greeted.

"Nearly killed you old man!" Kyoko screamed.

"Yes, yes…" the Hokage sighed.

"What's up old man? You never visit me. Usually I gotta go to you."

"I know. Kyo-chan…how are you?"

"You mean about this engagement thing?"

"Yes."

"Listen old man, I'll be the first to admit that I am a hag because nearly all my guy friends are gay but it doesn't mean I want to marry one."

"The contracts-"

"I know. I know all about that. It's stupid and Naruto's dad should get rid of them once he gets you job."

"The elders will not allow it."

"He's Hokage and if enough people back it, the elders can't say shit."

"Kyo-chan-"

"Listen old man, I need to leave. For a little bit. Not too long. Maybe a week or less. Don't care. I just need to do some good."

"I understand."

"Can I leave?"

"What are your other requirements?"

"I need a partner."

"Gaara is not allowed to leave. His father –"

"It's not Gaara."

"Then who?"

This was turning out to be perfect. One of the few moments of the past few days that was turning out the way she wanted it. This was fitting into her plan so well that she could cry. This moment could go so well but the rest of her life was falling to pieces, it wasn't fair but few things ever were fair.

"I want Haruno," Kyoko insisted.

"Done. You leave this Friday and it will take a week maybe less. Will you inform her or shall I?" he asked.

"I will," Kyoko answered.

"Here is your mission," he said while handing her a small red scroll.

Kyoko nodded and handled the scroll with care. The Hokage left with a nod and knew that the mission would be easy. She walked to her room and changed into black yoga pants and a dark pink sweater. She opened her door and was going to go talk to Sakura but found someone else on her door step.

"Shika!" she sighed. She was happy to see him. He made so much sense to her. He was solid and smart. He never did stupid things. Shika was the one thing in her life that always seemed smart and stable. She hugged him and immediately sensed his tension. Something was wrong. He was angry…oh god. _Please tell me he doesn't know about me and Neji_, Kyoko thought desperately.

"I did something stupid," Shika whispered. His faced looked torn. As if he was in pain over whatever it is he had done. She had seen him this way before when Chouji had almost died on a mission with him. Poor Shikamaru had blamed himself for the mission going wrong.

"Come on in. we can talk," Kyoko sighed.

Shikamaru walked into her living room and sat down. He didn't know where to begin. He loved Kyoko. He LOVED HER. But last night she had been far from his mind because he knew that a drunk Kyoko equaled a Kyoko that would end up in bed with Neji. It hurt him but… the hurt wasn't as painful as it used to be. The pain was fading and he knew…HE KNEW that meant that he was getting over Kyoko. He was stupid. He no longer deserved the title of being called a genius.

"So…" Kyoko asked.

"See the thing is Kyo-chan…I'm pretty sure you're as good as it gets. You're the best girl anyone could love. And I know that you think that's not true but it is. And I know that this relationship is kind of fake because you love Neji and I'm just a friend. And I wish I could be more," Shika babbled.

"Shika! Breathe."

"No I have to tell you all this because what I did…."

"NAARA!!!" an angry voice called from outside.

Shikamaru jumped and Kyoko shook her head. She knew that voice. In fact on many times she had been on the receiving end of that scolding voice. But what did that have to do with Shika? Because Shika must have done something bad in order to raise the voice that high.

Kyoko got up to open the door but Shikamaru grabbed her arm and begged her not to open the door.

"Don't," Shika begged.

"Why?" Kyoko asked.

"He'll kill me," Shika whispered.

"No. No. He has no reason to," Kyoko reasoned.

"Yes he does," Shikamaru whispered.

"NAARA!!!" the voice screamed again. Kyoko could hear something banging against her door and figured if she didn't open it soon…it would be opened on its own.

"What reason?" Kyoko asked.

"I'm so sorry," Shikamaru begged.

"About what!" Kyoko screamed.

"Who I slept with last night," Shikamaru whispered.

"Who you…you…slept…oh my god," Kyoko cried.

"I'm so sorry!" Shikamaru begged.

"YOU BIG DUMMY!" Kyoko screamed.

"I know," Shikamaru sighed.

"Of all the people!" Kyoko yelled.

The door burst open and Kyoko had never seen a more angry sight. Pale cheeks were flushed a deep red and there was sand swirling everywhere. Pale jade eyes were narrowed and Kyoko knew that she was the only one who would be able to calm him down.

"You slept with my sister," Gaara hissed.

Shikamaru whimpered and nodded. Gaara raised his hands but Kyoko spoke before he could attack.

"Don't," Kyoko sighed.

"Kyo-chan…" Gaara hissed.

"I said no!" Kyoko screamed.

"I want…" Gaara whined.

"DAMNIT! NO! so he slept with Temari. Get over it! Your sister is grown and she can decide who she wants to sleep with! Get over it!" Kyoko yelled. "And you! You are stupid. But it's okay that you slept with someone else. I haven't been the best and you deserve better."

"Kyo-chan…that's not true!" Shikamaru explained.

"Yes it is. Now get the hell outta my house because I gotta go find Haruno," Kyoko scolded.

Both boys walked out of her house pouting but she could care less. She had things to worry about. She had to find Sakura and put her plan in motion. Everything was going according to plan. Now…she just had to get Sakura to do something she didn't want to do but Kyoko knew how to be persuasive and Haruno would do this for her.

* * *

"NO!" Sakura screamed.

"Listen bubble gum! You will do this or I'm gonna hurt you!" Kyoko screamed.

"Why do I need to stab you with a poisoned kunai?" Sakura whined.

Kyoko closed her eyes and sighed. It was the last day of their mission and they would reach the village in a couple of hours. In order to set her plan in motion that would free Gaara, she needed Sakura to stab her. It wasn't that hard.

"It's not that hard. I need you to do and then heal it as if it had just been a normal kunai," Kyoko explained.

"WHY?"

"BECAUSE I SAID SO!"

"NO!"

"YES!"

The thing that Sakura had to learn about Kyoko was that she got what she wanted. She always did except when it came to Neji. Other than that, Kyoko pretty much always got her way. This was no exception. Sakura had the poisoned kunai in her hand and she was holding it out. Kyoko had gotten so close that the step Sakura took next plunged the kunai into Kyoko's stomach. It hurt. It hurt like a bitch. Kyoko groaned out in pain and Sakura looked horrified by what she had just done.

She quickly pulled on her healing gloves and closed the wound. She didn't treat it for poison because she didn't know what type of poison it was.

"Kyoko…quick tell me what the poison is," Sakura begged.

"There was no poison," Kyoko hissed.

"What?"

"I tricked you Sakura. I just needed you to stab me."

"WHY!"

"Ask questions later. Let's just get home I'm tired."

Sakura couldn't help but wonder what Kyoko was up to. She wished that she hadn't gotten Kyoko those weird medicines. She wished she hadn't made that stupid promise. She wished that Kyoko wouldn't be so hard on herself. She wished for a lot of things. She looked at Kyoko and could tell that like herself, Kyoko wished for a lot of things too.

* * *

Kyoko sat down in her room and sighed. She had felt more tired lately and knew she had a handful of time before things got out of hand. She sat down and began to think. Who should she start with? What would she write? How could she explain? She sighed and closed her eyes. As if by magic she felt the words write themselves.

_My Dearest Naruto,_

_I am a better person because of you. I am happier and better off in life. You gave me life and I am so grateful to have known you when I did. I know that this won't make sense to you…_

* * *

Kyoko was walking out of her exam room when she saw TenTen and Neji walking hand in hand. She wanted to throw up, both from being sick and looking at the two of them. The old man Hokage had demanded she get a check up since everyone seemed to be worried about her health. Kyoko didn't think she looked that bad but apparently she had been wrong. Apparently she looked…how had Sasuke put it? _Like some took a dump on her face._ Ah, pleasant words.

"Ashiya," Neji greeted.

Kyoko tilted her head to Neji and TenTen. She almost fainted at the look on TenTen's face. TenTen looked like she had won. Like…she finally had Neji where she wanted him and the made Kyoko want to scream.

"You two look…cough, cough…happy," Kyoko sighed. _Damn sickness._

"Are you okay?" Neji asked as TenTen said, "We are."

"That's good. And I'm fine," Kyoko shrugged.

"Don't you wanna know why Kyo-chan?" TenTen snickered.

"Sure."

"TenTen don't," Neji hissed.

"She deserves to know!" TenTen whined.

"Just spit it out," Kyoko growled.

"We slept together," TenTen laughed.

Kyoko felt her blood freeze. She heard Sakura call her back to the exam room with the results of her latest test but she looked at Neji and she knew it was true. They had slept together.

"It's finally over between you two," TenTen hissed.

"So it is…" Kyoko whispered.

"He doesn't love you anymore," TenTen taunted.

"TenTen," Neji warned.

"What? It's true. Your mine now," TenTen explained. "Tell her."

Neji closed his eyes and felt his soul seeped out of his body. He had slept with TenTen. He had had _unprotected_ sex with TenTen. He had to make so many promises to her and this one…this one was the hardest one. To tell Kyoko what TenTen wanted him to tell her…it would kill him.

"I don't love you anymore," Neji said.

Kyoko closed her eyes. She nodded and heard TenTen laughing until… she heard nothing. She felt darkness. She had fainted. _Damn sickness._

* * *

Kyoko sat in her hospital bed and shook her head. So Neji stopped loving her? That was for the best right? She shook her head and tried to write the next letter. She wasn't thinking straight but that didn't matter because Gaara would understand her no matter what she wrote.

_Gaara_

_You are all he has now. He has friends. I know that. Kiba will be there as will Hinata but you are the most important part now. You will need to comfort him on cold days as I used to. You will hold his hand…_

She sighed as she continued her words. Gaara would be angry. He would be moody and hurt but not around Naruto and that's what was important to her. Naruto was the most important thing right now. He was her priority.

* * *

Shikamaru sighed as he watched Kyoko sleep in her hospital bed. She had done something to herself he knew it. She had somehow made herself sick but no one could prove it. No one could prove that she was really dying but he knew she was and he knew that he had to stop it. He didn't know how but he loved her. Not as intensely anymore but…still they were friends!

He had to save her from whatever she had done but he couldn't think of a single way the Kyoko could have done this. The doctor's were baffled as to what was making her lose her appetite, go pale, and cough so much. No one knew anything and it frustrated Shikamaru to no end. He was a genius damnit! He had to know what was going on!

"Stop racking your brain Naara. I'm gonna be fine," Kyoko laughed as she watched his face give away his thoughts.

"What did you do?" Shikamaru demanded.

"Nothing! Why does everyone think I did this?" Kyoko hissed.

"Because that is so like you!" Shikamaru yelled.

"I made a promise remember?" Kyoko screamed.

"What are you doing to me?" Shikamaru sighed.

"Nothing," Kyoko laughed. "Now come here and tell me a story."

Shikamaru climbed on Kyoko's bed and wrapped his arms around her. She closed her eyes and heard his voice begin a strange story. She felt him smile and frown during all the right arts of her story and she smiled as she felt him get more into the story. She closed her eyes and began to remember the letter she wrote to him.

_Shikamaru,_

_You were always smart. You had the brains to figure out what I was going to do before anyone else. I want you to know that you tried your hardest but with this, I was slightly better at hiding my intentions…_

* * *

"Kyo-chan!" Naruto cheered as he saw her at school.

She didn't look any better and she was starting to really worry her doctors. They had brought in super healers and nothing. No one knew what was going on. Kyoko was more tired but she tried not to show it. More symptoms kept popping up but she didn't tell the doctors. She just didn't want to be drag to the hospital again. It had been a month since she was last there and she just needed to go back to her old routine in order to get better.

"Hiya Naruto," Kyoko greeted.

He hugged her tightly and she winced from the pain but quickly smiled as she saw Gaara narrow his eyes at the face she had just made.

"Naruto, love, your squeezing her too hard," Gaara scolded.

"Shut it Gaara," Kyoko hissed.

"Still no news on what's wrong?" Naruto asked.

"Nope. I'm fine though. I just need to go back to my routine and I'll be back to normal. No worries," Kyoko shrugged.

"Liar," Gaara said.

"Ah, such sweet words to come back to," Kyoko coughed.

Kyoko sat down and she looked around the school she would miss so much. It had been such a happy part of her life to come here every day to learn but now...it was hard. She saw Neji and TenTen together and it killed her. It was for the best but that didn't stop the pain or the tears that escaped her at night. This wasn't about her. This was never about her. She knew that her life purpose was to protect and make Naruto happy.

Sasuke walked up to her and pulled her away from her friends and if Kyoko had been herself she would have hurt him but she couldn't, instead she started coughing and wheezing. She sounded like a dying sea lion.

"You're an idiot," Sasuke hissed.

"Ah, not a day goes by that I don't look forward to your kind words Sasuke," Kyoko murmured. She didn't want to talk about this. Why would he bring that man into this conversation?

"You love him! He loves you! And for some god awful reason he's with her! Why? Why is that?" Sasuke screeched.

"He slept with her," Kyoko whispered.

Sasuke froze. He hadn't known that. He thought that Neji was trying to make Kyoko jealous. Not that…he never thought that Neji would do that.

"Then he's the idiot," Sasuke corrected.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Kyoko sighed.

"How can you two be over?" Sasuke wondered.

"Better question! Wanna hear it?" Kyoko teased.

"No," Sasuke hissed.

He knew she was going to ask about….

"Shino! Why aren't you with him?" Kyoko asked.

"He has a girlfriend…" Sasuke muttered.

"Now, Now that is something you can work around," Kyoko reasoned.

"Just….drop it okay?" Sasuke begged.

"Fine!" Kyoko yelled as she walked away. She was shaking her head when she saw Neji and TenTen by the entrance doors. She sighed and thought about turning around when Gaara and Naruto showed up by her side. She smiled at each of them and laid her head down on Gaara's shoulder. She closed her eyes, trusting her friends to guide her.

"Kyo-chan!" TenTen screeched.

Kyoko smirked and kept walking. She needed to save her strength in order to finish everything that was left to be done. She couldn't waste her energy on TenTen. It was worth it.

TenTen was still yelling for her but Kyoko walked into class and tuned out Kakashi's cheery tone. She looked down at the piece of paper in front of her and listened to the words in her head as she wrote them down.

_Sasuke,_

_You once came to me trying to figure out a good way to express the way you love a person, at that time, I had no answer. I still don't. Life is hard and there is no way around that._

* * *

Kyoko was sitting on her bed when she heard the door open. She knew exactly who it was and she smiled as she thought of Sakura. Sakura who had helped her so much. She had been so thankful to have Sakura in her life. She felt the weight next to her shift and she looked at Sakura.

"Why did you do this to me?" Sakura cried.

Kyoko smiled and hugged the pink-haired teen tightly. She knew that she had given Sakura a great burden to bear but soon…she would be able to tell anyone and everyone what Kyoko was going to do.

"Have you ever heard the tale of Hoshi and Tsuki Sakura?"Kyoko whispered.

"No…what is it about?"

"Love."

"Tell me about it."

"Okay…."

As Kyoko spun her tale of love and happy endings, she was thinking about Sakura and the letter that she had written hours earlier.

_Sakura,_

_Thank you. Thank you for being my friend. Thank you for knowing the truth. As hard and ugly as it is you told me that you understood…_

* * *

Kyoko had always known how to manage her time well. It was what she was known for but now…she was running out of time and there was still one more letter to write. He wouldn't care but she would. Kyoko needed to write the letter for her own sake. She needed to do this for herself.

"Kyoko," her father murmured.

He was writing at his desk and Kyoko was just sitting down staring off into space. She wondered idly what he would do if he knew what she was up to. The Healers thought they had it all figured out so he was calm. His daughter couldn't die.

"Hinabi called for you," he muttered. He had always hated the Hyuga family, who thought that they were so supreme with their prodigy child. Well, he had a prodigy child as well.

"I'll go see her," Kyoko stood and left him to stew in his own evil thoughts. It was a long walk to the Hyuga compound but the day was beautiful so she enjoyed it. She would see few days like this.

As she stood in front of the Hyuga compound door, she sighed and knocked. There was a shuffling noise and then the doors opened. Standing there as if they had been waiting for her was Neji, Hinata, Hinabi, and TenTen.

The world was trying to kill her early.

"Hinabi…you hollered?" Kyoko sighed. She had taken of the jutsu that covered up her illness but now she wished that she had kept it on instead of taking it off as she had done while walking here. Everyone was looking at her as if she was death in the flesh.

"You look like shit," Hinabi stated.

"Hinabi!" Hinata scolded.

"Chill Hinata, I know exactly what I look like. Thanks Hinabi, your words hit me right here in my heart," Kyoko said.

"Still sick?" TenTen muttered.

"I'll get better," Kyoko promised.

"You sure?" Neji asked.

"Fuck! Is this an intervention? I've had two already and I'm sorry if ya'll weren't invited but I've heard it all before okay? I'm done!" Kyoko turned around to leave but Hinabi grabbed her hand and stopped her.

"I'm sorry. I'm worried," Hinabi explained.

"Tiny Hyuga what do you want?"

"I want to train and everyone I want help from is here," Hinabi muttered.

"Train?" Kyoko asked.

Hinabi nodded and Kyoko couldn't help but feel shocked because no one so much as let her near anything sharp since she started to get sick. It felt nice to be considered.

"You want me to help?" Kyoko sighed.

"Yes!" Hinabi squealed.

Kyoko nodded and Hinabi trained with Hinata first. They both moved so gracefully that Kyoko never realized that she missed this part of her life so much. She missed going on missions and training but that was not important anymore. She had things to do.

Neji was next and again the field was filled with graceful movements that took Kyoko's breath away. They were both skilled.

TenTen was more raw movements. She was good but Hinabi's gracefulness was a useful tool in order to deflect TenTen's movements. Kyoko nodded and knew that Neji and TenTen were well suited.

Kyoko stood and began to chant in her head. _Gather. Form. Shatter._ She stood with her arms stretched out to her sides, palms up and he legs were straight. She felt the wind pick up and heard the whispers.

"Cool," Hinabi murmured.

"You think?" Kyoko asked.

Hinabi nodded. She saw thin wisps of silver in the wind that surrounded Kyoko and thought that they reminded her of ghosts and they were ghosts. Hinabi threw a knife and Neji gasped as the shield in front of Kyoko absorb the knife and sent it back to Hinabi. Hinabi ducked and ran forward with a sword. Kyoko ran forward as well. She had her arms raised as she blocked Hinabi's sword with her own pale sword. It was invisible to all until Hinabi struck it with her own sword. The opal color of the sword when struck reminded TenTen of Neji's eyes. TenTen scowled at Kyoko while Neji stared at his cousin. He wanted to look at Kyoko so badly but he refused to torture himself anymore.

They were never meant to be.

Suddenly the wind picked up and there was a flash of lightening in front of Kyoko. When the wind died down, Kyoko was on the floor gasping for breath. Hinabi and Hinata were the first to reach her.

"Kyo-chan! Kyo-chan! Are you okay?" Hinabi yelled.

"Maybe she should lie down?" Hinata wondered.

"I'm fine!" Kyoko coughed. "It's…cough…just…cough…I've done something…cough…bad."

"What?" Neji asked.

"Nosey. What's it…cough…to you?" Kyoko hissed.

"Kyo-chan, you should leave," TenTen said.

"Smartest idea I've heard so far," Kyoko replied.

Kyoko stood to leave and she was tipping over when Neji caught her but he was electrocuted when his skin touched hers.

"Looks like we both angered them," Kyoko murmured.

Neji looked at her and suddenly understood. The spirits severed the connection the two of them had made so long ago. It was punishment for having separated.

"Is that what's making you sick?" Neji asked.

"I'm fine. Quit your worrying and start thinking about TenTen. She may be pregnant after all. Shame on you Neji. I thought you knew what a condom was," Kyoko joked cruelly.

Neji dropped his hands away from Kyoko and wondered how she knew all that. Then again it shouldn't have surprised him. Kyoko had a way of knowing so many things without even trying. She said that it had been a curse because some things, some things she just didn't want to know ever.

Kyoko walked home slowly and tried to think of a reason or a way to reverse what she was doing. She wanted to be with Neji so badly. There was doubt of that in her mind. Yet Naruto was more important to her. He was all that mattered because she had to face the truth: Neji wasn't hers anymore.

Kyoko sat at her desk and began to remember things that she had buried deep inside of her a long time ago. She thought of Neji and knew what she had to write.

_My Tsuki,_

_What is we always said? That is love was enough, than everyone who has died would be alive? You were right. Love is never enough…_

* * *

Sakura drew in an unsteady breath. She was about to do something she had never done before in her life. She never wanted to do this. Promises made. She wanted to damn all those promises to hell and scream to the winds. But she hadn't and she couldn't.

Who to give their letter to first? She called them all forward and looked into their faces. What would they say? What would they think of her because she had been a part of this plan? She had been unwillingly yes, but she had still helped none the less.

She wondered how much Naruto would cry. She wondered how much Gaara would yell. She wondered about a lot of things as she faced these five people that meant the world to Kyoko.

Neji.

Gaara.

Shikamaru.

Sasuke.

And the most important of all….Naruto.

She handed them each a letter and sighed. They all looked at her and she remembered her explanation that she was supposed to give.

"She knows that you're going to be mad. She knows that and she doesn't care. There is only one thing that she does care about and that thing just happens to be Naruto and Naruto only. Nothing has mattered to her lately but letting him have the one thing he deserves and that would be you Gaara. I played my part in all of this but I never knew that it would turn out like this. I cannot tell you everything but I am so sorry," Sakura cried.

Everyone immediately opened their letters. Naruto cried out and fell to the ground as Gaara screamed to the heavens. Shikamaru and Sasuke gripped their letters tightly and sighed. Sakura opened hers and cried. She cried for so many reasons.

And she could do nothing.

* * *

There was always a problem at the hospital Mikoto worked for; after all it was a hospital. There were sick people and people dying…problems were bound to come up.

The biggest problem that was keeping Mikoto up all night was that they could not find a cure for whatever was making Kyoko Ashiya sick. That bothered her greatly. They should have known by now. It was like…no. _No way. She couldn't have done it, _Mikoto thought.

"MIKOTO!" a voice shrieked.

Mikoto ran down the hall and stopped. In front of room 519 was a small crowd of nurses and doctors. Something big was happening.

"What's going on?" Mikoto asked a doctor.

"She's dying…she won't make it past sunset," the doctor murmured.

Mikoto's eyes widened as she realized who the doctor was talking about, there laying on the bed looking as pale as the sheets she was laying on was Kyoko Ashiya.

* * *

**Please enjoy my awesomeness. And don't worry this story might have a happy ending….maybe…..I'm thinking….reviews will help me decide.**


	5. Letters To Loved Ones

_My Dearest Naruto,_

_I am a better person because of you. I am happier and better off in life. You gave me life and I am so grateful to have known you when I did. I know that this won't make sense to you. You have never known reason. I understand that. Reason isn't something one can grasp easily. You have been the best person in my life. You took me in as a friend with no questions. You loved me and all my baggage. That's why I have to do this. You will tell me that there has to be another way because you are my friend. I know my engagement to Gaara angered you and hurt you badly. That's why I have to do this. I have to know that for once in my life I made someone happy. You are the one person I want to make happy. You deserve the world Naruto and I know that to you, your world is Gaara. Think of this as me giving him to you. Know that I am happy as long as you are happy, so never let him go and hold on tight. He is good for you. Be happy my friend. Live your life and love Gaara for as long as you live. _

_With all my heart and no regrets,_

_Kyo-chan

* * *

_

_Gaara_

_You are all he has now. He has friends. I know that. Kiba will be there as will Hinata but you are the most important part now. You will need to comfort him on cold days as I used to. You will hold his hand as he goes to the doctor's and you will love him more than me. I'm giving him to you because I can no longer be by his side. With my life, I take you from him. With my death, I give you to him. You will be one of the few to understand this. I cannot marry you. I cannot love you. My heart was stolen a long time ago and it has never changed. You know that as you are in love with Naruto. Therefore, I am telling you this. Take care of him and love him with all your heart. I know that you are a good person and that he will be well with you. I die knowing that you will be there to be strong for him because I use to be strong for him but not anymore. I can't but please, please Gaara…never stop loving him as viciously and intensely as you do now. He will need it. Take care of him Gaara and make him happy. _

_Begging you and knowing you will_

_Kyo-chan

* * *

_

_Shikamaru,_

_You were always smart. You had the brains to figure out what I was going to do before anyone else. I want you to know that you tried your hardest but with this, I was slightly better at hiding my intentions. I am the happiest person in the world because there was someone in my life who cared about me. I know that you aren't going to understand. You are going to be angry and I understand that but this is something I have to do. I want everyone in my life to have happiness. I don't need my own happiness. I just need to know that the others around me are happy. You know what Gaara and Naruto mean to me and you know that I did this for them. I love you Shikamaru but not in the way you deserve. Temari deserves a chance, she isn't as troublesome as you think. She will love you if you give her a chance. Please try to understand. _

_Wishing you the best_

_Kyo-chan

* * *

_

_Sasuke,_

_You once came to me trying to figure out a good way to express the way you love a person, at that time, I had no answer. I still don't. Life is hard and there is no way around that. I am sorry. I am sorry that you will have to comfort a broken brother. Naruto is lucky to have you around. You care for him. I am glad that change came to you in time Sasuke. You will be happy, I know that much. Even though I won't be there to see you all anymore, know that I will always be around somehow. Tell Shino. Love him. And let him love you back. Life is hard enough as it is without keeping secrets, trust me, so go out there and put your heart on the line. He will love you. I know that much. So open your arms and let love in, embrace it the best you can. You're going to need someone there to help you heal because you told me that I had become you're closest friend, thank you for that, but I need to let go and be let go of. It is hard to understand but the decisions I make are my own and I need to make. I am giving myself the chance to be. So give yourself the chance to love. Love him. _

_Giving you an answer,_

_Kyo-chan

* * *

_

_  
Sakura,_

_Thank you. Thank you for being my friend. Thank you for knowing the truth. As hard and ugly as it is you told me that you understood, that you saw the right in all that I was going to do. I love you for that. I want you to know that your acceptance gave me the courage to do the right thing. I need to go. I can't be here and be happy. There is one person I need to make happy. That person is Naruto. You asked me once why that was…my answer is very simple. He saved me. He breathed life into the corpse I used to be. I was never truly lively or alive, even, but Naruto saw me and fixed me. He made me all better and put the stitching back where it belong. I had to go this for him because I love him. He is the reason I got to love Neji. You asked me why I didn't just pick Neji…because I feel in my heart that he wouldn't pick me. We are both selfless in the most pathetic ways. It's sad to see but I know that. I wish I could just run into his arms once and say that I love him but I can't. His place is by TenTen. Fate is tricky Sakura. So be happy. And do not worry about me; I know what I'm doing._

_Thank you,_

_Kyo-chan

* * *

_

_My Tsuki,_

_What is we always said? That is love was enough, than everyone who has died would be alive? You were right. Love is never enough. It wasn't enough for us but god above I wish it had been. If love had been enough for us, we could have drowned the whole world in our love…well for the time our love had lasted. There is something else that you need to know…I love you. In that obsessive-crazy-can't-breathe-without-you-wish-I-had-the-strength-to-walk-right-up-to-you-and-kiss-you sort of way. I know I said that I stopped loving you. I did that so you would walk away to the right woman for you. That woman is TenTen. You told me once I was to selfless, maybe I am to the point of destruction. I won't change. It's too late. It seems that I have always been too late with us. I need you to know that I will always love you. No matter what I love you. Remember that. So when you ask Sakura what happened and why I wrote you this letter, you won't get angry. I know what I am doing and even though I was dead before I made this decision because I had to let go of you, I won't regret it. I can see know that you did stop loving me. It's sad. I cried for you. I wish that you would have loved me a little longer. At the end of all this I wish for so much. I wish for many things. Life has a way of making us see what we could have done better in life when we are at its end. I love you. With all my heart and with the power of my soul I will always love you. It is the only truth that I have ever lived by. Thank you for loving me back, even if it was only for a little while. Be happy. _

_I love you, _

_Hoshi (yours forever)_


	6. Here I Go Again (On My Own)

**Enjoy and cheers! **

Memory

**Dream**

_Thoughts… _

_Kyoko's thoughts are like this and __**Neji's are like this**_

**CHAPTER 5:**

**Here I Go Again (On My Own)**

They each came in to say good bye. Whatever Kyoko had done to die hadn't been suicide because the blood contract that the Hokage had in his possession dissolved. Gaara was free but the freedom came with a price. A horrible price, so when he decided to marry Naruto, they both agreed to do a small ceremony in front of Kyo-chan's grave. She would have wanted to be there, they told everyone. Tears streamed down everyone's face that day.

Neji's uncle died on a mission and Hinata was left in charge. His contract too dissolved. TenTen was pregnant but the child turned out to be Kabuto's. Her family abandoned her for the shame she brought upon them and Neji was free.

He was free to do with his life whatever he wanted but he found that it left a bitter taste in his mouth. He would never have what he truly wanted.

Sasuke confessed to Shino, who only smirked before kissing him thoroughly.

"I know," Shino said. He had apparently broken up with Ino long ago in order to take a chance with Sasuke. They were inseparable ever since.

Sakura struggle with her own fault in Kyoko's death but the Hokage found her with no fault.

"IF not with you with someone else. Her determination for Naruto's happiness was her dying grace. He was her person. I am glad she had someone to trust in the end," the Hokage muttered, the tears in his eyes fell gently down his cheeks. Two weeks later, Naruto's father took power.

Time it seemed had moved on whether or not the group of friends were ready.

Linebreaklinebreaklinebreakl inebeaklinebreaklinebreaklin ebreaklinebreaklinebre

"A karaoke bar?" Neji muttered.

"No surprise here," Shikamaru smirked as he lay an arm around Temari's shoulders.

"It was Kyoko's favorite," Sasuke sighed.

"We remember," everyone mumbled.

"Five years is long enough. We can't avoid every place she used to live in," Gaara said.

They walked in and settled down. Over the past five years they had all grown close and though there was always a void…they usually never broached the subject.

Kyoko was something they never liked to talk about.

Though she was always there. With the fact that Gaara and Naruto were together. The way Shikamaru had accepted that he loved Temari and would be okay to move on with her. The way Sasuke never went a day without telling Shino he loved him. The way Sakura tried her hardest to save lives and cried for days when one of her cases died.

She was there for Neji because he went to her grave every day. He would never love someone the way he loved her and that was just life for him. He would be the best shinobi but nothing else was in the stars for him.

"Well what's everyone getting?" Shino asked as he played with Sasuke's hair.

They ate and talked about their missions, how funny it was that Naruto had FINALLY become an ANBU leader, how Shino turned out to be a great teacher, how Shikamaru being assistant to the Hokage was the funniest job ever, and how Sakura was dating a doctor named Lee.

"While we are a karaoke bar, tonight is our night to bring you our singer. Her name is Star and she is amazing."

No one had really been paying attention to the announcer they just kept talking as the music began to play. But the voice…

**Give me love like her,  
'cause lately I've been waking up alone,  
Paint Splattered teardrops on my shirt,  
Told you I'd let them go,  
And that I'll Fight my corner,  
Maybe tonight I'll call ya, after my blood turns into  
Alcohol,  
No I just wanna hold ya.**

Gaara was staring at Naruto again. 

"I am making you a promise," Kyoko laughed.

Gaara was shaken out of his staring.

"What promise?"

"I promise if it is the last thing I do, you'll end up with Naruto," Kyoko laughed as she made an 'X' over her heart.

"Deal."

**Give a little time to me, or burn this out, **

**We'll play hide and seek to  
Turn this around, **

**And all I want is the taste that your lips allow, **

Neji twirled Kyoko around and laughed as she giggled.

"I'm no Shikamaru but I'm learning," Neji explained.

"Your perfect," Kyoko sighed as she leaned into him and swayed to the music.

**My, my, My, my, oh give me love, **

**my, my, my, my, oh give me love,**

**My, my, my, my, Oh give me love, **

**my, my, my, my, oh give me love, **

**My, my, my, my, oh give Me love.  
**

"I like someone," Sasuke muttered into the pillow.

Kyoko didn't say anything when he had come in and flopped on her bed. She giggled at his sigh and raised an eyebrow until he turned over. 

"It's Shino, my best friend. Urgh."

"Well, tell him," Kyoko shrugged.

"Tell him? How?" Sasuke cried.

"I dunno my friend. Me and Neji just happened."

"Useless."

"I know."

**Give me love like never before, **

**'cause lately I've been craving more, **

**And It's been a while but I still feel the same, **

**Maybe I should let you go, **

**You Know I'll fight my corner, **

**And that tonight I'll call ya, **

**After my blood is Drowning in alcohol, **

**No I just wanna hold ya. **

Naruto is young. Must be 7 or 8. Kyoko walked up to him and they were instant friends. She defended him against all bullies and led him to Gaara. They were inseparable. Both Gaara and Kyoko ran to Naruto's when their home lives became too much. Naruto never doubted that Gaara and Kyoko were just friends. 

**Give a little time to me,**

**or burn this out, **

**We'll play hide and seek to Turn this around, **

**And all I want is the taste that your lips allow, **

"Take these letters Sakura," Kyoko handed to them Sakura as she coughed.

"What do I do with them?" Sakura asked. 

"You'll know when to hand them out. I don't want anyone in here when I die. They'll try and save me and there's no hope now."

Sakura cried as she clutched the letters with one hand and grabbed Kyoko's hand tightly with her other. 

**my, my, My, my, Oh give me love, **

**give a little time to me, **

**or burn this out, **

**We'll Play hide and seek to turn this around, **

**And all I want is the taste that Your lips allow, **

Shikamaru laughed as he watched Kyoko dance in the snow. She was laughing and throwing snow at everyone. All of his friends hated the snow but as soon as everyone saw Kyoko in the snow, they couldn't help but join in on her fun.

**My, my, my, my, oh give me love, **

**my, my, my, my, oh give  
Me love, my, my, my, my, oh give me love, **

**my, my, my, my, oh give me love, **

**My my, my, my, oh give me love.  
**

"I love you Neji," she whispered for the last time.

Neji kept his back turned out of pure stubbornness. He wanted to turn around and bring her in his arms but she was leaving him. As if she had no choice.

What was he supposed to do?

**M-my my, m-my my, m-my my, give me love, lover, **

**M-my my, m-my my, m-my my,  
Give me love, lover, **

**M-my my, m-my my, m-my my, give me love, lover, **

**M-my My, m-my my, m-my my, give me love, lover.  
**

"Sing to me," Naruto muttered.

"Are you sick?" Kyoko laughed.

Naruto nodded and as if she were his mother she sang him a lullaby and pressed a cold cloth to his head. He grabbed her hand and he slept soundly as she continued to sing to him.

**M-my my, m-my my, m-my my, give me love, lover, **

**M-my my, m-my my, m-my my, Give me love, lover, **

**M-my my, m-my my, m-my my, give me love, lover, **

**M-my My, m-my my, m-my my, give me love, lover **

**(Love me, love me, love me).  
**

"Hinata, you gotta live a little," Kyoko teased.

Hinata shifted nervously in the clothes she was wearing. These items were not normally her style she was more conservative because she didn't like to be notice but Kyoko was the only one who could probably do it.

**M-my my, m-my my, m-my my, give me love, lover (give me love), **

**M-my my, M-my my, m-my my, give me love, lover (give me love), **

**M-my my, m-my my, M-my my, give me love, lover (give me love, love me), M-my my, m-my my, M-my my, give me love, lover (give me love).  
**

Neji stood at her grave and sighed.

"Will it ever get easier Hoshi? Will I ever miss you less? Will the color blue ever not hurt me?"

He kneeled at her grave and cried. A year without her and it hadn't lessened the pain. 

**My, my, my, my, Oh give me love, **

**My, my, my, my, Oh give me love, **

**My, my, My, my, Oh give me love, **

**My, my, my, my, Oh give me love  
**

"Kyo-chan?" Naruto whispered.

"No," Neji whispered.

"What?" Gaara gasped.

The girl on stage had long black hair and bright eyes. There was no mistake. Kyoko Ashiya wasn't dead after all.

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